Who Followed Who?
by SnarkyFanGirl
Summary: dark!GinnyDraco. Don't expect the typical picture of Ginny Weasley in this story. Voldemort has returned and the OotP is still meeting- but one of their members has decided she's not so sure where her loyalties really lie.
1. Chapter 1

**Who Followed Who?**

**DISCLAIMER:** This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.  
  
**SUMMARY:** The Wizarding world is still in quite a state – Voldemort is back, and people are torn as to whether or not they believe it. The Order of the Phoenix is still holding meetings to try and prepare for the Dark Lord's ultimate uprising, but one of their ranks has decided she's not so sure where her loyalties really lie.   
  
**SPOILERS:** SS, CoS, PoA, GoF, OotP, QA, FB  
  
**SHIPS:** Ginny Weasley/Draco Malfoy  
  
**_"So when you try  
Hard to avoid the truth  
Look again  
Who followed who?  
Somehow you thought  
Thought that you're hard to lose  
But in the end  
Who followed who?"  
~ "Who Followed Who?" by Default_**  
  
Ginny sat at a small outdoor table, sipping a steaming mug of coffee. Snow fell gently around her, but she didn't seem to mind. Her cloak was slightly open and she wore no gloves, despite the bitter cold.  
  
She'd chosen to sit outside the café because she'd wanted some precious time alone- time to think; time to _breathe._ She was tired of following the Three Musketeers around all of the time. She was forever stuck in their shadow; resigned to be known only as either the girl who had a crush on Harry Potter (one of many), or simply as Ron Weasley's baby sister.  
  
The cold truth was that she'd outgrown her infatuation with Harry during her final year at Hogwarts. Out of sight, she discovered, also meant blissfully out of mind. These days she only placed herself in the Trio's company during family dinners at the Burrow or Order meetings.  
  
The Trio, her supposed "best friends," had not noticed her aloofness – and if the truth be told, she hadn't really expected them to, either. They were far too wrapped up in other things. Ron and Hermione had finally begun planning their wedding, and Harry had gotten somewhat serious with Padma Patil.  
  
Of course, there was always the imminent threat of the Dark Lord and his forces rising, as well.  
  
Ginny was left to her own devices, with no friends and no promising love interests looming on the horizon. She attended every Order meeting without fail, although she had already admitted to herself that she had become jaded and restless. She found that at times, she couldn't even remember why they were fighting.   
  
She curled her fingers around the half-empty mug, letting the heat seep into her frozen fingers. She was immensely grateful for the silence of the almost deserted Hogsmeade street; she was weary of people approaching her only to ask questions about Harry. She knew it was dangerous to be such a well-known ally of Harry's and be out in the open like this _alone_ – but she didn't care.  
  
She almost felt like it was a silent dare to Voldemort to come and do his worst. At least the last time she'd come into contact with him, he'd _pretended_ he was interested in her, and that was more than she got now. As things turned out, the answer to her unspoken challenge came in the form of Draco Malfoy.

**

  
  
Draco shoved his hands deeper into the fur-lined pockets of his designer cloak. It was unseasonably cold for November. He silently cursed his father for forcing him to come out and run his errands, but as Lucius was currently in hiding, there was no way for him to be able to do it himself. He sighed in annoyance as Honeydukes came into view. Since he was already here, he might as well stop in and reward himself with some of his favorite dark chocolate.  
  
As he was nearing the door that led inside, his eyes fell on an occupied table at the café next door. He gave a soft snort. The person was obviously touched – afflicted. Who in their right mind would be sitting within reach of the icy snow and chilling wind? Curious, he took a step closer. When he saw the color of the upswept hair, he knew who it must be.  
  
There was no mistaking the Weasley hair color.  
  
He glanced around, sure that if she was here, Potter must not be far behind. He saw, however, no signs of _any_ of the Wonder Twits, and after a while, he knew she must be alone.   
  
He studied her closely. He hadn't been this close to her since his fifth year, and he could tell that she'd done quite a bit of growing up in the last four years. The orange-red of her hair had deepened into a coppery color, and her face had matured. There were wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, and the eyes themselves looked as though they belonged to an old lady – not to a girl of nineteen.  
  
He'd been studying her intently for several minutes before she lifted haunted eyes to meet his. He was vaguely surprised when no emotion registered on her face at the sight of him, and he wondered if she even recognized him. The blank expression on her face indicated nothing. He shrugged to himself, then turned and headed inside the sweet shop. When he emerged, she was still sitting there, staring down into her mug.  
  
Her cloak was open and her fingers were bare, but she wasn't shivering. In fact, Draco might have believed she wasn't feeling the temperature at all- if it hadn't been for the flush that painted her cheeks. His curiosity was getting the better of him- why was she in the cold, and alone? He sat down. She did not acknowledge him, and it made him angry. She was a _Weasley;_ how _dare_ she not acknowledge a _Malfoy!_   
  
"What's the matter, Weaselette?" he sneered. "Did the Wonder Twits run off without you?" She brought sienna eyes to meet his, and her gaze was so intense that it caught him off guard momentarily.  
  
"One can only hope," she said flatly. He stared at her in disbelief. Had she really just _agreed_ with him that the Trio were twits, and that she didn't want their company?  
  
"Ah," he drawled softly, looking for another button to push. "Did Potter finally dash your dreams of becoming the love of his pathetic little life?" To his great surprise, she laughed.  
  
"Oh, Malfoy," she smiled. "If you're going to try and insult people, you're going to have to stay abreast of the things going on in their lives. It's not so easy, is it, to keep tabs on the people you hate, now that you're out of Hogwarts and away from them?" He gaped at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"If you want to insult me, you'll be needing some new material to work with. Might I suggest poking fun at my chosen career, my lack of a love life, or my pathetic little four room flat? Or maybe you'd rather stick to the basics, the old tried and true topics, like the fact that I am a Weasley? Remember, we all have red hair and our family is probably the largest pureblood Wizarding family in existence right now. That stuff about Harry won't work anymore, though."  
  
"And why is that?" he asked coolly, regaining his composure. He was growing more confused by the second, but he had become quite adept at masking his emotions outwardly. To be the son of Lucius, he'd had to.  
  
"I haven't been interested in Harry for ages, Malfoy. Not since your seventh year at Hogwarts. You're going to have to find something better to use." Her words were finally seeping in, despite the dropping temperature causing his brain to feel frozen.  
  
"Wait," he said, eyeing her thoughtfully. "Are you telling me that _you_ hate Potter?" She rolled her eyes.  
  
"No," she said, lifting her mug to her lips. "I don't hate him. But that doesn't mean that I'm his biggest fan anymore, either." He sat back in the cold chair, ignoring the shivers that the cold wind was trying to send down his spine. _This could work to my advantage. I could bring her to the Dark Lord, and we would have Potter exactly where we wanted him. We've been following her long enough to know that she's part of whatever secret society Dumbledore has formed; she would be able to tell us everything. I would be revered for bringing her to him.  
  
_"Interesting," he murmured, both in response to his thoughts and her statement. She ignored him and continued sipping gingerly at her drink. "Explain to me why you're sitting out in the snow," he commanded suddenly. She blinked, but otherwise gave no reaction to him.  
  
"Because I like it."  
  
"You like it," he echoed flatly. She nodded.  
  
"I like being alone. Away from Harry and the people who flock to him every moment of the day." He arched an eyebrow at her.  
  
_This is going to be easier than I thought._


	2. Chapter 2

Ginny didn't seem to be intimidated in the least by Draco Malfoy, which intrigued him almost as much as it irritated him. He'd begun following her around, trying to learn her schedule so he'd be able to "strategically appear" in her usual haunts. The only problem was that she had no usual haunts, and no set routine to speak of. At present, she was leisurely browsing through the aisles of one of the shiftier stores in Knockturn Alley.  
  
Draco had been supremely astonished when she'd turned onto the notorious street, and wondered briefly if she'd done it simply because she'd seen him following her. He'd quickly dismissed that suspicion when the shopkeeper had addressed her by her first name.  
  
He watched as she carefully selected a new brass bowl, then handed it to the clerk, who stored it behind the counter for her. Ginny moved down an aisle full of different colored wax- some came in blocks, some came in tapers (like candles), and some came in ball form.  
  
Draco watched, fascinated, as she selected several large balls of dark green wax. After moving back to the counter and speaking in hushed tones to the clerk, Ginny turned and looked directly at Draco. He shivered and returned her gaze, not attempting to hide the fact that he was watching her.  
  
She waited as the clerk retrieved a second brass bowl from the aisles, one that was identical to the one she'd chosen earlier herself. She rang up the redhead's purchases, and Draco boggled at the amount of money she plunked down onto the counter. Where had a Weasley come by that amount of money?  
  
She ignored his presence as she left the store clutching her purchases. He wondered vaguely why she hadn't confronted him about watching her yet. He stayed behind her as she walked down the alleyway and rounded a corner. When he approached the same corner, a hand reached out and grabbed him.  
  
A split second after he was accosted, he felt a tugging sensation behind his navel, indicating that he was being transported somewhere via portkey. He didn't panic or struggle; it was not uncommon for one of his father's friends to retrieve him when he stayed gone too long for his father's tastes.  
  
Therefore he was utterly surprised when he found himself inside a small candlelit room, face to face with Ginny Weasley.  
  
"What in the bloody hell-" he started angrily. She ignored him and began unwrapping her purchases. When it became clear to him that she had no intentions of speaking to him until she was ready to, he began to take in his surroundings.  
  
The room she'd brought him to was a small one, but tidy and immaculately clean. He ran a finger along a shelf, and when he inspected his finger, there was no trace of dirt to be seen. He turned and looked behind him, only mildly surprised to see what must have been her bed pushed against the far wall. He smirked to himself; she might call it a bed, but it looked like a sofa to him. He turned back to her when he heard her whispering.  
  
She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, adjusting one of the new brass bowls over crackling blue flames. The look of concentration on her face was amazing, and Draco thought he'd never seen anything like it before. He leaned back against the wall and watched with growing curiosity as she unwrapped a ball of the wax she'd purchased, then dropped it into the bowl.  
  
"What are you doing, Weasley?" he asked, not bothering to hide the curiosity in his voice. She glanced up at him, then looked back down at the wax, which was beginning to melt. She stirred it gently with the end of her wand.  
  
"You've been following me," she said simply. He blinked.  
  
"And why would you think that?" he sneered.  
  
"Because you have," she shrugged. "You've been following me for almost two weeks now. If you're so interested in what I'm doing, you should've just said so, instead of making me lead you around on a wild goose chase." He stared at her in disbelief.  
  
What she didn't tell him was that on the second or third day that he'd been following her, she'd started thinking. She thought about him, and she thought about how his life had turned out. He was surely a Death Eater like his father, which meant that he was most likely limited to the company of other Death Eaters.  
  
Then she'd started thinking about the people that he'd been friends with at school. Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle – possibly the two biggest idiots that had ever had the nerve to pass through the hallowed halls of Hogwarts – had been his best friends. If they were Death Eaters, she thought, then perhaps he could use a spot of intelligent conversation every now and then.  
  
This thought had ultimately reminded her of her last name, which reminded her how very much he probably hated her. Then she thought back to the change that had come over his features as he'd sat at that little table with her, and she knew that he had probably been contemplating some way to use her in order to get closer to Harry. So what then would be the harm if she used his deceit to her advantage and countered it with some of her own? She'd pretend to go along with him, and in the meantime, he'd pretend to be her friend.  
  
Right now, more than anything, she needed someone to acknowledge her existence, even if it was only feigned interest.  
  
He folded his arms over his chest and stared at her.  
  
"What makes you think it's you that I'm interested in?"  
  
"I don't think it's me," she answered, opening a bottle of water. He watched as she poured it into the empty brass bowl on the floor. "You're interested in what information I have to offer."  
  
"And you brought me here to give me this information, is that it?" he asked, eyeing her appraisingly. He'd clearly underestimated her; she held no illusions as to why he was still here.  
  
"Of course not," she said disdainfully, reaching for a pair of gloves. Upon closer inspection, he was surprised to see that they were made of fine dragon hide. She slid the gloves on and picked up a ladle, dipping it into the bowl that held the melted wax. He watched as she poured the ladle's contents into the bowl of cool water. She put the ladle down, then removed the gloves. It was only when she bent over the bowl of water and peered inside that he realized what she was doing.  
  
He gave a laugh of disbelief and raised his eyebrows at her. She shot him an annoyed look before concentrating on the bowl again.  
  
"Tell me you're not doing what I think you're doing," he laughed, moving closer to her.  
  
"What do you think I'm doing?" she murmured distractedly, still focused on the bowl.  
  
"Weasley, Ceromancy has been dead for decades! It's totally obsolete!" she arched an eyebrow at him, but said nothing. "Where did you learn it from, anyway? They don't teach that at Hogwarts anymore." He bent over and peered into the bowl.  
  
"I taught myself," she explained. "Even if it is obsolete, it's been quite helpful to me."  
  
"And how is that?"  
  
"See this here?" she asked, pointing to a lump of wax floating near the side of the bowl. He nodded, skepticism etched all over his face. "What would you say it looks like?"  
  
"Come on, Weasley," he scoffed.  
  
"No, really. Just tell me what you think it looks like." He shrugged.  
  
"It's a question mark." His intonation plainly told her that he thought this entire thing was stupid. She surprised him by giving him a small smile.  
  
"Good. Do you know what question marks mean?"  
  
"No," he sniffed, trying to pretend that he wasn't interested.  
  
"Use the same interpretation you'd use if you were reading tea leaves."  
  
"I don't know how to read tea leaves," he snorted.  
  
"You didn't study Divination?"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous," he sneered. "A Malfoy, study Divination? That class was strictly reserved for flakes." She shrugged.  
  
"What about that piece?" she asked, pointing to the second lump of wax. He rolled his eyes, but peered inside the bowl anyway. He squinted at it.  
  
"A circle." She frowned.  
  
"I'd say it was a ring." He stared at her as she fished the pieces of hardened wax from the water, then tossed them into the trash can.  
  
"The last time I checked, a ring and a circle were the same thing, Weasley."  
  
"Normally, yes," she agreed, dumping the water out. "But in any sort of Divination, no." She proceeded to clean both bowls out by hand.  
  
"Why don't you just Scourgify them?"  
  
"Honestly, Malfoy," she scolded, drying the bowls with a soft towel. "I would think you'd know why. Using magic on the bowl might interfere with the Ceromancy." She placed the dried bowls gingerly on a shelf lined with black velvet, then placed the unused balls of wax on another shelf. He noted that the shelf was full of different colors of wax balls.  
  
He gave her an odd look. "Why did you buy wax, when you already have more than enough here?"  
  
"I didn't have this particular shade of green."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So it's best to use a color that you closely associate with the person you're reading for – or about," she added, giving him a pointed look. She pushed the door of the tiny room open, and he followed her into the meager sitting room.  
  
Why had she been foolhardy enough to bring him here? Surely she realized that whenever he left, he could tell any number of the wrong sort of people where she lived, or he could now set up some kind of surveillance on her home. Before he could elaborate further, her words sank in. He moved into the kitchen, where she was making a pot of chocolate.  
  
"Did you say you were reading for someone?" he asked. She didn't look up; she merely nodded. "And I am assuming that since the color was Slytherin green, you were reading for me?"  
  
"Don't be so egotistical," she laughed, shaking her head. "Not everything is about you."  
  
"Who, then?"  
  
"Your father." He blinked several times in surprise.   
  
"My father?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I wanted to."  
  
"And what did you see?"  
  
"You tell me," she shrugged, stirring the liquid. "You're the one who saw the signs." He frowned and gave her a harsh look.  
  
"I've had enough of this freak show," he snapped. "Just tell me."  
  
"The ring means marriage. There is a marriage somewhere in your father's future." He laughed at her.  
  
"My father is already married, which proves even further that Ceromancy is a waste of time." She put down the spoon she'd been stirring with and stared at him.  
  
"I didn't say it was his marriage," she said, folding her arms across her chest. He blinked.  
  
"What if it wasn't a ring? What if it was just a circle?"  
  
"Then I wouldn't look for a marriage, I'd look for a reconciliation of some sort," she shrugged. He blinked, then shook his head.  
  
"Right," he snorted. She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully at him.  
  
"I'll make you a bet, Malfoy. I'm so sure of my Ceromantic abilities that I know it was a ring, and I know there's a wedding in your father's near future that I'd be willing to bet against you."  
  
"A wager?" he asked, his interest immediately sparked. Draco was never one to pass up a chance to win at something, and this time was no exception. "And what exactly would you want from me?"  
  
"You can take me to the wedding," she said simply. "As your date." His jaw dropped slightly, and he stared at her for a full minute, before recovering.  
  
"Well, I'm so sure that your Ceromantic abilities are a joke that I'll agree to it," he said smoothly. "And when I win, I want you to take me along to your next meeting with Potter and his friends." He waited for her to say no, but to his surprise, she smiled and held her hand out.  
  
"It's a deal, then."


	3. Chapter 3

Draco was bent over his desk, scribbling wildly on a piece of parchment, when his father entered the room. The quill he'd been holding dropped to the desktop, and he stared. It wouldn't have been such a surprise to see his father this late at night, if his father hadn't been in his room. As a rule, Lucius Malfoy never entered his son's room; hadn't in the twenty (almost twenty-one) years that his son had walked the earth. Malfoys were private creatures, and didn't like to share their personal space.  
  
"Is something wrong, Father?" Draco asked, standing quickly. Lucius sat down in an overstuffed chair near Draco's desk and shook his head.  
  
"There's nothing wrong, so to speak," he drawled softly. He motioned towards Draco. "You can sit back down and relax." Draco did as he was told and waited expectantly for his father to continue.  
  
"Do you remember your Uncle Rodolphus' brother, Rabastan, Draco?"  
  
"Of course, Father. Is he quite all right? Has something happened to him?"  
  
"No, nothing has happened to him," Lucius said, shaking his head. "Unless you count Lavinia." Draco frowned.  
  
"Lavinia Jugson?" he asked. His father nodded. "What's she done to him?"  
  
"Oh, not much – just fallen in love with him," Lucius shrugged. Draco's eyes widened slightly; he wasn't sure he liked where this was obviously going. "They're engaged to be married."  
  
"Oh?" he asked, trying to force his voice to remain steady. Lucius was close to his son, though, and was immediately aware of the change in the boy's tone.  
  
"Is something wrong, Draco?" he arched an eyebrow. Draco tried to force down the lump in his throat. Damn that insufferable Weasley for being right!  
  
"No- well," he knew it was no use to lie to his father. He rubbed his face with his hands, then gave his father a look of defeat. "Yes, there is something wrong. How would you feel if I brought a Weasley as my date to the wedding?" Lucius' eyes widened, but he said nothing for several minutes.  
  
"Are you in love with her?"  
  
"Sweet Circe, no," Draco protested immediately, holding his hand up. "I've been following her since I saw her that day in Hogsmeade, and this evening she managed to use a portkey to take me back to her flat."  
  
"She what?" Lucius asked, raising both eyebrows. It was clear to Draco that his father was impressed, even if it was grudgingly so.  
  
"She took me back to her flat, and she –"Draco snorted softly with laughter. "Father, you're never going to believe this – she practices Ceromancy." To his surprise, Lucius did not laugh. Instead, his features darkened thoughtfully.  
  
"Ceromancy? And in your estimation, how well did she do?"  
  
"I thought she was a little yampy myself, until just now. She did a reading for you," he said, shaking his head. "And she said that there was a marriage in your future."  
  
"Clever little girl," Lucius murmured. Draco stared at his father. Had the entire Universe shifted, and he'd simply not gotten the memo about it? Why was everyone acting so strangely today? "What else did she say?"  
  
"She made a bet with me. Told me that she was so sure she was right, that she'd take me to Potter and her next meeting with him if she was wrong." A very amused smile tugged at his Father's lips.  
  
"And your end of the bargain was?"  
  
"To bring her to the wedding she'd predicted, as my date," Draco said miserably, sitting back in his chair. "I never would have agreed to the bet at all if I had thought she was anything more than a total crackpot, Father."  
  
"This is a very promising turn of events, Draco," Lucius said, rising from his chair. "While you know my opinion of the Weasleys, I find it highly interesting that the girl is dabbling in what she surely knows are the Dark Arts. I also find it somewhat curious that she would take you back to her flat voluntarily when she has no doubt been consorting with Potter and that fool Dumbledore. She's bound to know that you're a follower of the Dark Lord. What on earth could have possessed her to do all of this?"  
  
"She did say something that day in Hogsmeade," Draco said, straightening a bit. "Said that she liked being alone, and away from all of the people who are around Potter all the time." He paused momentarily, thinking. "Shall I bring her to the wedding then, Father?"  
  
"By all means," Lucius said smoothly, moving to the door. "A deal is a deal, and Malfoys never go back on their word." With that, he was gone, leaving Draco to stare after him with growing curiosity.  
  
When Lucius had returned to his own bedroom, he found Narcissa sitting at her vanity table, brushing her hair with long, deliberate strokes. He dropped a kiss on the top of her head, then lowered himself onto the bed. She turned and smiled at him.  
  
"Did you tell Draco the news about Lavinia and Rabastan?" she asked. He nodded and rewarded her with a smile of his own.  
  
"I did, and he shared a bit of his own good news with me." She was still smiling.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"He already has a date lined up." She clapped her hands excitedly.  
  
"Oh, Lucius! That's wonderful news! Who is she? Is it that lovely Parkinson girl? Ornella was just telling me the other day that-"  
  
"No, Cissa. It's not Ornella's daughter. It's Arthur Weasley's daughter." Narcissa's smile faded quickly and her face turned deathly pale.  
  
"My son has asked a Weasley to the wedding?" She pressed a delicate hand to her breastbone.  
  
"It's not as bad as all that, Cissa. The girl has apparently grown tired of Potter and has taken an interest in our son. And from what Draco tells me, she's been dabbling in the Dark Arts."  
  
"She what?"  
  
"I think you'd be interested to know what she's doing," he said, his eyes glittering. She rose from her seat and lowered herself onto the bed next to him.  
  
"Is she doing something fun?" she asked distractedly, cuddling up next to him. A protective arm went around her and pulled her closer.  
  
"Indeed," he murmured. "She's practicing Ceromancy." Narcissa's head shot up and she stared at her husband.  
  
"Ceromancy? But how did she learn it, Lucius? I thought I was the only one who-"  
  
"I know, sweet. But apparently she knows how to practice it, and is quite proficient. She predicted a marriage to Draco, and they made a bit of a wager on its accuracy."  
  
"A wager? Is that why he's asked her to the wedding?"  
  
"He hasn't asked her yet. She must have a bit of an adventurous streak in her. She told Draco she would take him to Potter and one of his meetings if no marriage came about, and he told her in return that he'd take her as his date to said wedding if it should occur." Narcissa laughed softly, despite herself, and rested her head on her husband's chest again.  
  
"Poor Draco," she laughed. "He never has been able to pass up a game of chance, has he? Do you think young Weasley knows what she's gotten herself into by asking to come to the wedding with him?"  
  
"That's the strange thing about it, Cissa," Lucius said, rubbing her arm lovingly. "I think she does."  
  
The next morning found Draco sitting at the breakfast table, hunched over a cup of black coffee, and generally looking as though he hadn't slept a wink. Narcissa smiled brilliantly at him as she took her own seat.  
  
"Are you quite all right this morning, poppet?" she asked, picking up a delicate china cup that was full of hot tea. He sighed.  
  
"I suppose Father has told you of my bargain?"  
  
"He has," she assented, buttering a warm scone. He waited for her to say something further, but when she remained silent, he cleared his throat.  
  
"Mother, aren't you unhappy about this? I mean, she's a Weasley." His mother looked up from her scone and smiled.  
  
"I was upset at first, but after speaking to your father further on the matter, I'm actually quite excited about it." Draco's jaw dropped.  
  
"Excited?"  
  
"Didn't you say the girl practices Ceromancy?" he nodded. "Well, she and I have something in common, then."  
  
"What?" he squeaked. "I thought it was an obsolete discipline, and beneath a Malfoy to practice it."  
  
"Heavens no, child," she said, wiping her fingertips on a cloth napkin. "I began using it a long time before I met your father. When the two of us were married, he encouraged me to continue it because I was fairly accurate with it."  
  
"Yes, well," he pouted. "Then I suppose you and Weasley do have something in common. She was spot on with this prediction."  
  
"It doesn't surprise me at all," Narcissa said, eyeing her son thoughtfully. "Your father is well aware of her lineage, and has told me that her mother was a Prewett. The Prewetts have always been rather gifted seers. I understand it skips a generation."  
  
"So that would mean that her mother doesn't have the gift, then?"  
  
"Precisely," she nodded. "It's rather fortuitous that your girlfriend shares a passion of my own." Draco nearly choked on his mouthful of coffee.  
  
"Girlfriend? Mother, she is not my girlfriend, nor will she ever be," he said vehemently, mopping coffee off of the table. "I am following her in order to get information from her, or possibly even coerce her into joining our cause. I have no romantic interest in her whatsoever."  
  
"Things change, Draco," she smiled. He pulled a face.  
  
"Not this."  
  
"Famous last words," she said, rising from her seat. She bestowed one final, breathtaking smile on him as she moved towards the doorway. "You may want to ensure that she has a suitable gown for the wedding. Have a lovely day, darling." 


	4. Chapter 4

Ginny was pacing. She knew it was bothering the other members of the Order, but at this particular moment in time, she didn't really care. She listened as Harry droned on and on about something he'd read recently in the Daily Prophet that he thought may have been a form of secret communication between Lucius Malfoy and his fellow Death Eaters. At the sound of this, she stopped pacing and stared at him.  
  
It was all she could do not to laugh.  
  
The boy really was too naïve, to think that Lucius Malfoy would use a public form of communication, protected only by the secrecy of a nom de plume to communicate with his friends. She felt fairly certain that if the elder Malfoy wanted to speak to someone, he would bloody well speak to them, with no pretense. She just could not picture Lucius sending "secret messages" through the newspapers – he had always seemed like more of an in- person sort of fellow.  
  
She began to pace again, anxious to leave. The Order meetings were not nearly as exciting to her as they used to be. Then again, she used to be an active participant at the meetings. She'd almost felt wanted then; those times when they'd actually let her out and about, doing top secret things to aid them. That had only been at Fred and George's insistence, and she knew that now. The moment the twins had left for America was the moment that everything had changed.  
  
She'd become invisible.  
  
The Order could very well have existed without her. They never sent her anywhere any longer. She was barely remaining abreast of all of the news, and they never told her any of their plans. They'd raided several known Death Eater hideouts, and flushed all of the Dark Lord's supporters that they could find. For some reason, they had never been able to find Lucius Malfoy after he'd escaped from Azkaban, and that really pissed Harry off.  
  
Things had been good with her family, though, until Ron and Hermione had decided to start dating. In one fell swoop, her best friend and closest sibling had both been torn away from her, and it hurt. They'd become so absorbed in each other, the only person that they hadn't managed to shun was, of course, Harry.  
  
She sighed noisily, noting that even as she did that, the other people in the room ignored her.  
  
There were other things she could be doing; better ways to spend her time. When Harry had finally stopped talking, the members stood up and stretched, then began to talk among themselves. Ginny found that Snape was eyeing her very thoughtfully, which made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She knew he was skilled in both Occlumency and Legilimency; years of eavesdropping on the Trio had taught her that. She appraised him coolly, letting him look her straight in the eye.  
  
I know you're a double agent, Severus, but does your old friend Lucius know? Snape's eyes widened considerably. Before he could confront her, however, she turned and left the room, heading for home.  
  
Once she had kicked off her shoes and turned the telly on, she removed her shirt and slacks, then reached for her nightshirt. A loud pop behind her made her jump in surprise, and she clutched the fabric to her chest in a feeble attempt to cover herself. When she turned around, she was face-to- face with a very embarrassed looking Draco Malfoy. His cheeks were crimson, and he was averting his eyes – looking at everything in the room, except her.  
  
"Great Circe's ghost," she swore, relaxing minutely. "You scared the daylights out of me! Oh, you can turn around, you big faker. Quit pretending you're a prude." His eyes flew up in surprise to stare at her, but she'd already pulled her shirt over her head.  
  
"You're not quite as modest as I took you to be," he mused aloud. She rolled her eyes and moved into the kitchen.  
  
"As if modesty had anything to do with it," she said, rummaging through her cabinet for a pot. "I'm simply confident in the fact that you hold no interest in my body whatsoever, if not because I'm a Weasley then because I pale in comparison to the many other women you've had." She seemed distracted as she went about gathering the ingredients to make a pot of chocolate. He leaned against the door frame and folded his arms over his chest.  
  
"You've not asked me why I'm here."  
  
"I assume you're here to tell me that I've won my bet." He arched an eyebrow.  
  
"And if I'm not?"  
  
"You are," she replied confidently, stirring the ingredients in the pot. "You wouldn't come see me again so soon for any other reason."  
  
"True. Well, you were right, but don't expect me to believe that it's a common occurrence. You just got lucky this time. Incidentally, I only came by to ensure that you had a proper gown ready for the wedding." She put the spoon down and eyed him thoughtfully.  
  
"You're not fighting this very hard," she observed. "Why?"  
  
"I gave you my word, and Malfoys never go back on their word."  
  
"I have the sneaking suspicion that you're just anxious to see me make a fool of myself," she said, her eyes glimmering strangely. She turned back to the pot and finished stirring, and Draco craned his neck to see what she was doing.  
  
"You've got quite the sweet tooth, haven't you?" he asked, his voice thick with amusement. She turned and gave him a surprisingly friendly smile.  
  
"It's rumored that you have one, as well," she said. He blinked, and she removed two mugs from the cabinet. After filling one, she handed it to him. He sniffed at it, and she snorted softly. "Come on, Malfoy. You watched me make it. I didn't put anything in it."  
  
"Drink yours first," he ordered. She shrugged and blew on the liquid, then took a few sips. When a few moments had passed and nothing happened, he took a drink from his own mug. He turned surprised eyes towards her as he licked the chocolate off of his lips, but she had already moved into the sitting room and lowered herself onto the sofa, tucking her legs beneath her.  
  
"This is different from any chocolate I've ever tasted," he marveled. She glanced up at him briefly, then focused her eyes back on the telly.  
  
"It's an old recipe."  
  
"Family recipe?" he inquired.  
  
"No, just an old one."  
  
"How was your meeting tonight with Potter?" he asked, sitting on the couch beside her. She gave him a look of surprise, but it confused him. Was she surprised because he'd been so forward asking about Potter, or was it because he'd sat down next to her?  
  
"Uneventful," she shrugged finally. She had decided that there really was no point in lying to him; it was obvious that he already knew she met with the Order, even if he didn't know what it was called or who else was there.  
  
"How so?" she watched out of the corner of her eye as he drained the rest of his cup of chocolate with one drink.  
  
"I don't exist," she said quietly, turning her eyes back to the telly. He eyed her thoughtfully.  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
"Exactly what I said, I don't exist. I could bloody well be invisible, for all they pay attention to me."  
  
"Why have you been with them so long, if they don't pay attention to you?"  
  
"Well, they used to pay attention to me," she said, sitting her mug down on the coffee table in front of her. She turned to face him. "They used to listen to my suggestions and ask me to do things for them. Is that how it is with you and your father? Do the Death Eaters just ignore you, or do they listen to you?" He gave a little start.  
  
"The who?" She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Malfoy, it does no good for you to pretend you're not one of them," she sighed, leaning back. "Harry knows you are, you know. It's not like it's something that you've kept extremely hidden, or anything." He sat his empty mug on the table and raised his eyebrows at her.  
  
"If Potter knows what I am, then why hasn't he come to arrest me?"  
  
"He has nothing on you," she said, standing. "You haven't done anything that calls for an arrest – yet," she added. He stood.  
  
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked, his voice laden with suspicion. "Wouldn't they kick you out of your little group if they knew you were meeting with me?"  
  
"Probably not. They'd probably just do what you're doing – pump me for information about the other side." He stared at her. It hadn't crossed his mind that Potter and his minions might do the same as he if they ever found out she'd been meeting with him. Now he really did have to coerce her to join him and his father, in order to keep them safe. She caught the distressed look on his face and laughed.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not going to tell them we've spoken," she said, shaking her head.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"What's the point? I wanted attention, but do you think I want that kind of attention – the kind where everyone is scolding me like a baby for speaking to the enemy?" He relaxed visibly.  
  
"Yes, well," he hated to admit it, but she had a point. "Back to the original purpose of my visit – do you have a gown suitable enough to wear to a wedding?"  
  
"Suitable in your family's eyes? Probably not. When is it?"  
  
"In one week. A week from tomorrow, actually."  
  
"That doesn't give me much time to prepare," she said, frowning. He shrugged.  
  
"You're the one who made the ruddy prediction and asked for this, not me," he drawled coolly. She rolled her eyes and headed towards her bedroom.  
  
"Goodnight, Malfoy." He watched with something akin to amazement as she went into her room and shut the door. As he made his way back home, he wondered what had really transpired in her flat tonight – who had been playing whom?  
  
Once safely back inside the Manor, he hung his cloak up in the foyer, and headed towards his room. He was stopped by his Mother and Father, strolling down the corridor.  
  
"Well, how did it go?" his mother asked, smiling. "Does she have a gown?"  
  
"No, she doesn't," he said, shaking his head. His mother's face fell slightly.  
  
"Well? Didn't you offer to buy her one, or help her otherwise procure one?" He stared at his mother as though she were daft.  
  
"And why on earth would I have done something like that?"  
  
"The girl may prove to be of use to us yet, Draco," his father said reasonably. "You must take extra measures to ensure her friendship and good will."  
  
"I didn't offer to buy her anything and she still gave me information," he said, shrugging. "She told me that Potter knows I'm-"he glanced at his mother, who was raising her eyebrows at him. "Well, Potter knows about me."  
  
"If that's the case, why hasn't he arrested you?" Lucius puzzled.  
  
"My question exactly," he said. "She said that he can't arrest me yet, since I've done nothing that warrants it."  
  
"So the girl has already proved useful," Lucius smiled. He turned to his wife. "Cissa, might you have anything in storage that the girl could wear? It really would be a shame if she wasn't permitted to attend with Draco."  
  
"I suppose I do, but I'm not sure anything old would be fitting for the wedding. Perhaps I could take her on a shopping trip?" Narcissa's eyes lit up with excitement, and Lucius smiled indulgently at her.  
  
"Of course, love," he nodded. "Will you be going to Paris, then?"  
  
"You know I've been wanting to go back for the longest time," she nodded. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and watched as she scurried away to begin making plans for the trip. He turned back to look at his son, who was dumbfounded.  
  
"I'm asleep, and this is the strangest dream I've ever had," Draco proclaimed, his eyes wide. "That's the only explanation for this."  
  
"You're quite awake, my boy," Lucius murmured, smiling. "And quite lucky as well, you know. This entire situation with the Weasley girl is turning out to benefit us both."  
  
"How is that, Father?"  
  
"Your mother adores shopping and fashion, and letting her have her way with the girl is like giving a child a bag full of sweets. And when your mother is happy, I'm happy. And you- she's already given you a wealth of information, whether you realize it or not."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"She's told you that right now, Potter has nothing on you. She's also inadvertently told you that she is interested in the Dark Arts. And not so inadvertently that she's interested in you." Draco gaped at him.  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"Why else would she ask you to bring her to a wedding as your date, when she could just as easily have asked for you to give her the names of your dark brethren? Or the location in which I was hidden?"  
  
"She probably knew I wouldn't tell her any of those things," he surmised.  
  
"Perhaps," his father said, although he sounded disbelieving. "I'm rather inclined to think that the girl fancies you – either as a friend, or something more."  
  
"That is utterly ridiculous, Father," Draco laughed. "She was raised and taught to abhor me. Why would she ever fancy me, in any way?"  
  
"Consider the circumstances, Draco. You've told me that none of the times you've been in her presence has she asked you to leave. Furthermore, you've told me that even though she knew she was being followed by you, she hadn't alerted anyone else to the fact. She took you back to her flat, and if I'm not mistaken, you've been there again tonight, with no incident." Draco nodded, his throat going mysteriously dry.  
  
"That's true."  
  
"What did she do when you showed up?" Lucius asked curiously. "Did she act panicked?"  
  
"No, quite the opposite," he said, feeling his face grow warm. "She made- well, she made a pot of chocolate, and gave me some." Lucius smiled.  
  
"So our girl has been doing her homework, then, and knows you've a weakness for the confection?"  
  
"She said something to that effect, yes."  
  
"Doesn't it seem strange to you, Draco, that if she isn't interested in you in any form, that she keeps doing things to place herself in your presence? The wedding, for example?"  
  
"I suppose I registered the fact somewhere in the back of my mind," he said, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sighed. "But I just didn't want to think about it."  
  
"Tell me, is the girl comely?"  
  
"She's not abhorrent, if that's what you're asking."  
  
"That's not what I'm asking, and you know it, Draco."  
  
"She's – well, she's not what I'd normally consider attractive, no."  
  
"But she's not hideous?" his Father sounded amused. Draco flushed.  
  
"All right, she is attractive, for a Weasley," he admitted. "But she's not someone I would have looked at twice in passing."  
  
"Neither was your mother, for me," Lucius drawled calmly. Draco's mouth dropped open slightly. "But she blossomed into a beautiful creature after we'd married, and now you'd be hard pressed to find a more beautiful woman anywhere, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"Father, you're not trying to tell me-"Draco swallowed hard. "That you want me to marry her, are you?"  
  
"No, Draco," he laughed. "I'm simply saying that if things between the two of you change, well...she is a pureblood, after all."  
  
"But she's a Weasley," Draco pointed out. "Remember? Poor? Filthy? Blood Traitors?"  
  
"She wouldn't be a blood traitor if she joined our cause," he shrugged. "And that is what you've set out to do, isn't it?"  
  
"I suppose," he answered cautiously.  
  
"Well, I was simply saying that should the girl decide to join us, there would be no harm in letting things progress further. You're not getting any younger, and your mother does want to see grandchildren sometime in the near future." Draco tried to ignore the feeling of panic he always got when someone mentioned his settling down and having children.  
  
"The Weasleys have proven to be fertile, if nothing else," he choked out. Lucius laughed.  
  
"No one is trying to force you into marrying her if you don't want to, Son. I was simply making some observations. Now, perhaps you'd be good enough to visit her again tomorrow and take your Mother along?" Draco shook his head vehemently.  
  
"No, I won't take mother to that horrible thing that she calls a home. It's barely big enough to turn around in. I'll just bring her here." Lucius nodded.  
  
"That will do just as well. Sleep well, my Son." With that, Lucius turned and left to find Narcissa, leaving Draco to wonder on his own exactly how interested Ginny Weasley could possibly be in him. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

It was not unusual for Ginny to sleep past ten o'clock anymore. There used to be a time when she would be awake before the sun had even risen; jumping out of bed, eager to begin the day.

Things weren't like that anymore.

She had taken to sleeping in quite frequently, as there was nothing else to do with her day. If she had an appointment, it was always scheduled after one o'clock. If she had no appointments or errands for the day, she was prone to staying in bed, huddled beneath the covers, for as long as her body would allow, only feeling compelled to leave the bed when her stomach grumbled its protests.

Today was no exception.

She had just pulled the covers up to her chin and rolled so she was facing away from the window, when she heard a distinct _pop_. She groaned and pulled the covers over her head, hoping that whoever was in her flat would get the hint and just leave.

It was, therefore, unfortunate for her that the person who had apparated to her flat was a man on a mission.

"Weasley!" he snapped, yanking the coverlet off of her. She grunted in protest, shivering at the sudden loss of the warmth the blanket had provided. "Get up! It's damn near noon, and you're still in bed! You've slept half the day away!"

"So?" she asked waspishly. "What do you care?"

"I don't," he answered, folding his arms over his chest impatiently. "But my Mother _does_."

"Your Mother?" she sat up so quickly, it made Draco's head spin. "What has she got to do with anything?"

"She's got a great deal to do with you- at least for today," he said, raising his eyebrows. "So are you getting out of bed of your own volition, or do I have to use my wand and force you to?"

"I'll get up if you'll tell me what she wants," Ginny said, raising her own eyebrows.

"It doesn't work that way."

"It had better, or else you'd better know some pretty damned good spells to haul my lazy arse out of bed." His jaw dropped slightly, and a chuckle escaped him before he could stop it.

"Are you challenging me?" he asked disbelievingly.

"No, I'm stating facts. So in the interest of saving time, why don't you just tell me what it is that your Mother wants with me?"

"She would like to speak to you about your lack of wedding attire," he said, bowing slightly. "Is her highness sufficiently pleased now? Will you get out of bed?" she gave him a lopsided grin and stood.

"Her Highness is well pleased," she laughed, moving towards the closet. He blinked several times. What had gotten into him, speaking to her and teasing her as though she was almost … a _friend?_

He watched as she retrieved an outfit from her closet, then headed into the bathroom to wash up and change. He was absolutely surprised when she left the door to the loo open, and turned his back so he would not 'accidentally' see something he shouldn't have. He could feel his face growing warm; he knew that she would probably laugh at him if she knew that he was so modest about seeing a woman's body, but he couldn't help it.

For all the things that people said about him, Draco had never been an overly sexually promiscuous person. He had lost his virginity at eighteen, although it had been somewhat of a painful experience. He'd had the biggest crush on Daphne Greengrass while they'd been at Hogwarts, although he'd never told anyone but his Mother and his best friend, Marcus, about it. His Mother had arranged for a garden party for his graduation, to which she invited the Greengrass family.

Draco had been delighted to see Daphne at his party. She'd looked positively radiant in her summery dress, all ruffles and femininity. She'd fawned over him all afternoon, and he'd finally gotten up the courage to ask her on a date. She'd said yes, and a very happy Draco had thoroughly enjoyed the remainder of the party.

The next evening, he'd gone to her home to pick her up for their date. Her parents and sister were out to dinner, leaving her there alone. She'd invited him in and proceeded to seduce him, plying him with fine wines from her family's stores. When it was all over, she'd asked him to leave.

Two days later, he had been walking through the aisles at Flourish and Blotts', trying to find a particular book for his father, when he'd heard her giggling. He remembered smiling as he rounded the corner.

His smile had fled as quickly as any feelings he'd harbored for her.

She was pressed up against the bookshelf, with one leg wrapped around Marcus Flint, giggling as he nuzzled her neck. Draco stood frozen, paralyzed in disbelief. It was that moment that Daphne had turned her head and shot him a brilliant smile. She whispered something to Marcus, who looked up and shrugged in apology to Draco, then went back to kissing Daphne.

Draco had never spoken to either of them again.

He sighed. It wasn't that he didn't _want_ to have sex, or that he disliked seeing a woman's body – it was quite the opposite. He just didn't want to ogle someone he didn't know. Sex was a sacred thing for his family, he knew that well enough from speaking to his Father about it on several occasions. His Father had advised him to keep to himself, lest he desired false paternity suits and besmirching the good family name. Draco also felt that, when he engaged in such activity again, he wanted to do it with someone who looked at him the way his mother looked at his father.

Was that too much to ask for? Someone who loved him for _him_, and not what he could offer them by way of financial security?

Draco was jolted from his thoughts as Ginny emerged from the loo, scrubbed clean and smelling suspiciously like cotton candy. He watched with growing curiosity as she brushed her hair and left it hanging in soft waves, and he clucked his tongue. Before she could protest, he had waved his wand and muttered a charm, and her hair was piled up at the back of her head. She turned and stared at him.

"Where did you learn that?" she asked, with no trace of amusement in her voice. His cheeks flushed slightly, but he retained his cool demeanor.

"Are you quite ready?" he drawled, replacing his wand inside his robe. She turned and eyed herself in the mirror, surprise still etched across her face.

"Just a second," she said, opening the top drawer of her dresser. She pulled her wand out and stuffed it inside her threadbare robe, then turned to him and nodded. "All right."

"We're going to make a quick stop in Diagon Alley," he informed her, turning on his heel. "Mother needs a few things." She remained silent, which Draco was entirely thankful for.

Once they had reached Diagon Alley, Draco led her towards the entrance to Knockturn Alley, where he fished a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. She frowned as she examined the list of supplies his mother had written, then looked up at him with a half-smile.

"Give me fifteen minutes." Before he could respond, she had taken off down the congested thoroughfare. He stared after her in amazement; how could she have known that his Mother had instructed him to have her fetch all of the items? He sat down on a nearby bench, forcing himself to ignore the cold, and waiting for her.

When she returned less than fifteen minutes later, she was holding two large brown paper parcels, and she looked to be struggling with them. He took one from her and was about to ask her how she'd known when she gave a violent shiver. He remembered that she had still been in bed that afternoon when he'd come to retrieve her, and he hadn't seen her eat anything. Not to mention the fact that he was terribly aware that her cloak wasn't something he would have even allowed one of his servants to wear.

A strange feeling flooded over him, and he sighed silently. It wasn't a totally foreign feeling –sympathy- it was just alien to him to feel it towards a _Weasley_. He got a firm grip on her arm, then led her to the booth of one of the many street peddlers, where he purchased her a large cup of hot chocolate. Never one to pass up the confection himself, he indulged in a small cup as well. She thanked him quietly, and was sufficiently preoccupied with her drink that she didn't watch where he was leading her.

Once they were inside the store, however, she gazed up at him with wide eyes. He ignored her as best he could and called out to the Sales Witch behind the counter, who was at his side quicker than Ginny could utter "accio." He spoke to the woman in hushed tones, so Ginny couldn't hear, and the woman gave Ginny a once-over with her eyes before nodding and bustling away.

"What's going on?" she asked quietly, not wanting to attract the attention of anyone else in the store. Draco gave her an appraising look, slightly impressed with her non-Weasley-ish behavior. She had accepted the hot chocolate without question. She had run his Mother's errands without question. She had, he realized with a start, even _paid_ for his Mother's supplies, without asking to be repaid. Before he could say anything, however, the Sales Witch returned with an armful of heavy, dark green material draped over her arm.

She held it out to Ginny, who hesitated briefly before touching it. Draco was amazed at how reverent the girl seemed; he knew that even though she was poor, she had seen and worn things like this before. The girls in her dormitory had let her wear some of their things for the Yule Ball, and if he remembered correctly, she had worn something similarly fancy to her brother's graduation.

"Well, go on, dear," the woman said impatiently. "Try it on." Ginny's eyes shot up in surprise, but the woman shoved the cloak towards her. She put it on reluctantly and gave Draco a questioning look.

"Turn," he ordered. She obliged and turned a small circle before looking at him again. He was too busy with the Sales Witch to meet her eyes, though. "I'll take it. She'll wear it now." He picked up Ginny's old threadbare cloak from the floor, pinching it between his thumb and forefinger. He held it out to the woman, wrinkling his nose in obvious distaste as he did so.

"Dispose of this. She won't be needing it any longer."

Ginny watched numbly as Draco paid for the cloak and strode out of the store. Once she had fallen into step beside him again on the street, she turned and looked at him.

"Your Mother taught you that charm, didn't she?" her voice was soft but firm. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and saw the softened look on her face. She wasn't trying to taunt him or otherwise degrade him, which caught him off guard. He turned his eyes back to the street in front of him and gave a curt nod. "Why did you buy this cloak for me?"

"I should think the reason was obvious," he snapped, his patience wearing thin. He felt odd around her, as though she knew things about him that she shouldn't know, and he didn't like it. He didn't like feeling sorry for her. He didn't like _liking_ her company, which he found he was doing at the moment. "You're going to meet my Mother, and the Manor is quite drafty. Can't have you chattering in front of her –it's distracting." She eyed him thoughtfully, then clamped her mouth shut as they stepped inside a small pub.

Draco pulled her to the fireplace and held out a small pot of floo power.

"This is the only way to get to the Manor," he said quickly, his tone of voice clearly indicating to her that he didn't feel as though he should have to explain himself. "Let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

****

Chapter Six

Ginny emerged from the fireplace without the slightest trace of soot on her. She watched, amazed, as Draco emerged behind her, also looking pristine. She supposed that it shouldn't have amazed her as much as it did; the Malfoys probably had their hearths cleaned by house elves at least twice a day. She turned at the sound of footsteps behind her, and was met by the smiling face of a woman who could only be Draco's mother.

"Ah, hello, darling," she said sweetly, giving Draco a quick hug. Draco gave his Mother an impish grin. "Were you able to procure all of the things I asked you to get?"

"No, I didn't," he said, shaking his head. He gave Ginny an odd look. "She did." Narcissa turned surprised eyes to Ginny, who gave her a curt, but not unfriendly, nod.

"Thank you, Miss-?"

"Weasley," she answered, her voice steady. "Ginevra Weasley, although everyone calls me Ginny." She took Narcissa's outstretched hand and shook it gently.

"How nice to meet you, Ginevra," Narcissa smiled. Draco arched an eyebrow at his mother. The look on her face was clearly indicative that she was up to something, and for some reason he couldn't explain, that thought was disconcerting. "Draco's told me all about you, of course."

"Nothing too bad, I hope," the redhead smiled. Narcissa chuckled, and Draco's jaw dropped. It was a rare thing for his mother to take to strangers; let alone one so down to earth as Ginny was. He knew that his mother would see from Ginny's appearance that the girl was poor and uncultured, two things that had always repelled his mother's presence. Yet here she was, against all odds, laughing with Ginny Weasley.

"Draco, darling, could you take the parcels and put them in my drawing room?" She wrapped her arm around Ginny's shoulder and leaned in to whisper something conspiratorially. Draco gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the laughter that followed him down the hall, wondering the entire way to his mother's rooms what on earth he had just done.

Several hours later, Draco was lounging in front of the fire in the library in his favorite leather armchair, reading one of his favorite old books. His Father strode in and went straight to a row of books on the top shelf that, until last year, Draco had been forbidden to touch.

"Everything all right, Father?"

"Yes… quite," his father mumbled, caught up in looking for his book. Draco smothered a laugh and focused on his own book again. His Father had always been one to lose himself in his research when the opportunity arose; he supposed that that was where he'd inherited the trait from.

Just then, loud giggling sounded down the hall, signaling the return of his Mother and … he frowned. What _was_ she to him, after all? He shook his head in an effort to shake the thought away, and caught his Father smiling at him. It was such an utterly _knowing_ smile that it made Draco uneasy. He stood and followed his Father down the hallway, stopping at the door to the dining room, frozen to the spot with shock.

His mother was doubled over in girlish laughter, clutching the arm of a glowing woman with upswept red hair. He blinked, then sucked in a deep breath as he realized that it must be Ginny. She turned and flashed him a dazzling smile before her eyes fell on his Father. Her smile faded and her face paled; she was obviously expecting a less than warm welcome from Lucius Malfoy.

Draco was absolutely relishing the surprised look on her face as Lucius shot her a brilliant smile.

"You must be Ginny," he said politely, holding out his hand. She hesitated before taking it, and Draco noted that she was the first to pull away. He wondered why she had shown absolutely no fear towards his mother, but when greeted with his father, she clammed up immediately. She nodded, her lips pursed tightly together. Lucius seemed to take no notice of it as he turned to embrace his wife.

"Lucius, it was grand," she gushed, removing her hat and gloves. "Ginevra and I had lunch at the loveliest café, and we went into that little boutique that I discovered last year when we took our holiday! We even had our hair and nails done. It was such fun, I've asked her to accompany me again next week." Draco's eyes flew to his mother in shock; the wedding would be over by then, and his debt fulfilled. She couldn't possibly be thinking of keeping the girl's company past then, could she?

Ginny seemed about to make a run for the fireplace when Lucius shot another smile at her, effectively causing her to freeze where she stood.

"Certainly you're not leaving, are you, Ginny?" he asked. She didn't move. "Have you any plans this evening?"

"N-No… no, sir," she said finally, clearing her throat.

"Then I insist that you stay and have dinner with us." With that, Lucius turned and steered his wife out of the room, smiling and chuckling at the comments she was making.

"This is the strangest week of my life," Draco murmured to himself. Ginny turned and eyed him thoughtfully.

"What time is dinner usually served?"

"Eight o'clock." She rose and nodded, making her way towards the fireplace.

"I need to go home and freshen up a bit, then. I'll be back before dinner starts." He watched as she disappeared into the green flames, and wondered what had suddenly happened to his family, allowing a Weasley so easily into the Manor.

When Ginny returned home, the first thing she did was bury her face in her pillow and scream as loud as she could. She'd been face to face with Lucius Malfoy, the same person who'd slipped her Tom Riddle's diary, and she'd frozen up like the same pathetic little schoolgirl that everyone treated her as. She'd wanted to speak to him; to nose around and see if… well, she didn't know _what_ she wanted to see. Tom? Or Voldemort? And really, what was the difference?

She reached beneath her pillow and drew out her journal- a navy blue notebook- and flipped it open to the entry she'd made a few days after Harry had saved her from the Chamber.

__

Dear Diary,

Well, it turns out that Tom Riddle is Lord Voldemort. I don't feel strange writing that now; I spent so much time talking to him that I feel I know him. He was so kind to me, listening to me and talking back to me. I suppose he just wanted me to lead him to Harry and do his dirty work as everyone else says, but somehow it felt like more than that. He told me things that I'm sure no one else knows. He told me all about his family and his Mum when things were good, then he told me about the Muggle orphanage he had to go back to in the summers. I promised him that I would never tell another soul what happened between us in the Chamber, and I haven't. I think Harry knows that more happened than what I let on, but he can bugger off. They didn't care about me before he took me, did they? Why should I be so bloody interesting now? The fact of the matter is that he introduced me to a lot of things that I hadn't known were there before. For a short while, I was his pupil, and he seemed to enjoy teaching me. He said I had a lust for learning that he found appealing. In any case, no one ever bothered to ask me whether or not I went down to the Chamber willingly, just as he'd predicted they wouldn't. He's gone now. Harry killed him, of course. But for a while, it was nice to have a friend, someone who truly listened without asking for anything in return.

She flipped over several pages.

__

Dear Diary,

I am going to have to hide you better. Hermione found you yesterday and laid into me good for keeping a diary, asking me how I could stand to after the Chamber. Thankfully she didn't read it, or I feel sure I would have gotten a more severe tongue lashing. Why don't they understand that I need someone to pour everything out to? They have each other. It isn't fair. They each have two other people to lean on, and I have no one. Perhaps I'm hoping that Tom will come back and take me away again, although I know it isn't possible. He would be proud of me; I have continued to learn and grow in what he taught me.

She flipped to a blank page and began her latest entry.

__

Dear Diary,

I went shopping today with Narcissa Malfoy, Draco's mother. She is an utterly magnificent woman, and a total delight to be around. I almost felt as though I was out and about with a sister, the way she talked to me. We tried on clothes together, gorged on sweets together at lunch, and got our hair done together. Draco bought me a new cloak this morning, too. I don't know why he did it. I wonder if maybe my idea of befriending him isn't going to backfire on me somehow. Already today I could feel myself changing around him, and I wonder if it has anything to do with the last reading I did. I was up late last night and when all was said and done, I was left with some very confusing results. I spoke to Narcissa about them, since she confided in me that she practices the Art as well, and she interpreted it the same way I had. It unnerved me, and visibly so- she offered to do a joint reading with me tonight because of it. I have the nagging feeling that the same symbols will come up – and then what am I to do? I have been invited to dinner at the Manor. I'll write more when I get home, assuming that I don't do something that will cause me to die of embarrassment.

She tossed her pen onto her bedside table and dropped her closed journal onto the bed, then went into the bathroom to wash up.

Quite a bit later, she emerged from the steam-filled bathroom feeling somewhat refreshed and ready to face the Malfoy family again. She pulled on one of the new dresses that Draco's mother had picked out for her earlier that morning and examined herself in the mirror. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth – Narcissa had been right; the simple black dress did wonders for her. She brushed her hair and swept it up in a loose knot at the back of her neck and slipped her black high heels on. Normally she wouldn't bother to get so dressed up for dinner, but these were not normal people that she would be dining with.

The Malfoys never did anything halfway.

She wrapped the cloak that Draco had gotten her around her shoulders and stepped into the small fireplace. Once she had stepped into the sitting room of the Manor, she was immediately greeted by Narcissa, who was radiant in the new pale pink dress she'd purchased. Lady Malfoy smiled at Ginny, who smiled back. Narcissa linked her arm through the younger girl's, and they began whispering conspiratorially as they walked through the corridor. When they entered the dining room, Ginny was pleased to note the surprised look on Draco's face, although she couldn't say why.

Both of the Malfoy men rose from their seats as the ladies sat down, and Lucius raised his champagne flute.

"A toast," he said jovially. "To new friendships."

"Hear, hear," Narcissa smiled, raising her glass to her lips. Ginny smiled and let her eyes flicker to Draco, who was openly staring at her. She could feel the blush creeping into her cheeks and quickly averted her gaze.

Within moments of their toast, a marvelous feast was laid before them on the table. Ginny thought as she was waited on by the house elves that she could get used to this kind of pampering. They had finished dessert (which had been some sinfully delicious chocolate creation) and were sipping coffee when Lucius smiled at Ginny.

"Tell us a little bit about yourself, Miss Weasley," he said, the smile still on his face. "Draco tells us precious little about his friends." Ginny arched an eyebrow at him.

"I'd hardly say that Draco considers me to be a friend, Mr. Malfoy." Draco's cheeks turned pink, but he said nothing, instead choosing to stare down into his snifter full of brandy.

"If you're not a friend of his, then how is it that you've come to be his date for the wedding?"

"The truth of the matter is that I sort of tricked him into it." Draco's eyes flew to Ginny, but she didn't look at him. Lucius' smile widened.

"Well, since you're being perfectly honest with me, I'll be perfectly honest with you. I already knew that the two of you had placed a wager of sorts, and he lost. But tell me, how do you mean that you tricked him?"

"I knew I was right," she said simply. Narcissa smiled into her coffee.

"Fascinating," Lucius said quietly. He stood and placed his empty brandy snifter on the table. "I must offer my apologies, Miss Weasley. It has been a long day, and I am rather tired. Thank you for accepting our dinner invitation. Perhaps you'd be so good as to return for dinner again tomorrow?"

"I would love to, Sir," she smiled.

"Please, call me Lucius."

"Only if you'll call me Ginny." The elder Malfoy was obviously pleased, which Draco wondered at. His father normally didn't permit his friends to call him by his given name- then again, Ginny Weasley wasn't a friend. She was a conquest – and his father adored a challenge.

"Done. I look forward to seeing you again, Ginny. Draco, please continue to entertain our guest until she's ready to leave." Draco nodded curtly and they watched as his father retreated.

"Darling, you don't have to entertain her," Narcissa said, putting her cup down. "Ginevra and I have some things to do."

"But Father said-"

"You may sit in with us if you like," she said hurriedly, missing Ginny's widened eyes. "But we're only going to be practicing the Art."

"In that case, I believe I'll retire to the study until Ginny is ready to go home. Will you fetch me when that time comes, Mother?"

"We surely will, sweet." Draco rose and dropped a kiss on his Mother's cheek before turning to leave the room. "Draco!" he stopped and turned at the reprimanding note in his mother's voice.

"Yes?"

"You haven't said goodbye properly to Ginevra." Ginny's cheeks immediately felt hot.

"Oh, please – he doesn't have to-" Draco smirked.

"But Mother is right; how terribly rude of me." With that, he made his way slowly towards Ginny, who was starting to squirm in her chair. The smirk on his face made her very uneasy. She was surprised when all he did was stop and bow deeply in front of her. "Good evening." His eyes flashed with something she couldn't identify, and he was gone.

She didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed that he hadn't kissed her, and it worried her that she felt a bit of both.


	7. Chapter 7

"Is the bowl ready?" Narcissa asked, looking over at Ginny. The redhead nodded and watched as Narcissa ladled out the melted wax, then slowly poured it into the cold water that Ginny had prepared. She bit her bottom lip and waited with bated breath for the wax to solidify and form the same shapes that she was certain would appear.  
  
Narcissa eyed the contents of the bowl thoughtfully, then sat back and looked at Ginny. "Tell me what you see, Ginevra." Ginny took a deep breath and peered into the bowl.   
  
Her heart very nearly stopped when she saw the same symbols she had seen the night before, when she'd been reading for herself. Her eyes widened and she looked at the older woman nervously.  
  
"I see the same things I saw last night," she whispered, sitting back. "A moon and a pumpkin."   
  
"Why do these things upset you, my dear? You know as well as I that they are not bad omens; in fact they are quite the opposite."  
  
"I know, but the only men I've come into contact with lately have been my brothers, my father, Harry, and Draco. I know I'm not about to fall in love with any of my family members, and any affection I held for Harry has long since faded. That only leaves…" her voice trailed off and she trembled slightly.  
  
"My son," Narcissa murmured. Ginny nodded. "Perhaps we are misinterpreting, then? A pumpkin only means a warm relationship; perhaps _that's_ the sign meant for Draco's role in your life?"  
  
"Perhaps," Ginny agreed, although she was highly doubtful.  
  
"Why is it that the thought of you loving my son is so upsetting to you? Is he so terrible that you cannot even entertain the idea?"  
  
"No, it's not that," Ginny said quickly. "I don't think he's terrible at all anymore- at least, not from the way he's behaved towards me in the last day or so. He's actually rather nice to be around, even if he doesn't enjoy my company. It's just- Well," she took a deep breath, then met his mother's gaze. "To be perfectly honest, I'm frightened of falling in love."  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Narcissa asked gently, sure she'd misheard the girl.  
  
"I'm frightened of falling in love," she repeated, feeling stupid. "I've seen what it can do, especially when unrequited. I've been there. I want to fall in love, because I want that closeness with someone, but on the other hand, I fear that loving someone will give them entirely too much power over me."  
  
"My dear," Narcissa said, sitting up. She covered Ginny's hand with her own and patted gently. "Love can be frightening, but believe me when I say that it is entirely worth it in the end. I was terrified when I fell in love with Lucius, you know. He was so handsome and cultured; I was certain that he'd never so much as even glance in my general direction."  
  
"How did he notice you?"  
  
"It was at the first Quidditch match of the year during our final year at Hogwarts. Bella and I were sitting together in the highest corner of the stands, watching. It was raining something horrible, and lightning struck the stands we were in, not ten feet away from us. If Lucius hadn't been flying so low, he wouldn't have been able to save us. When we got on the ground, he noticed me for the first time. We were inseparable after that."  
  
"That's amazingly romantic," Ginny sighed. Narcissa smiled. "What was your wedding like?"  
  
"It was exquisite. Lucius' parents had arranged everything. There were roses and ivy draped over anything that would stand still, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky."  
  
"You got married outside, then?"  
  
"Yes," she laughed. "His parents thought it was a heathen idea at the time, but once they saw how beautiful it was, they understood our desire to wed under an open sky."  
  
"It sounds lovely." Narcissa eyed the girl thoughtfully. She was about to say something more when she heard the tiny squeak of a floorboard outside the door. She glanced at Ginny, who was beginning to clean the bowls out; apparently the girl had not heard.   
  
"So, my dear," she said loftily, helping Ginny gather the supplies. "What ever possessed you to even make a wager like that with my son?" Ginny very nearly dropped the bowl she was holding. Her neck turned red and splotchy as she blushed.  
  
"If I tell you, do you promise not to tell anyone else?" Narcissa nodded eagerly; it had been a long time since she'd been someone's confidante. Ginny sighed and brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face with the back of her hand. "I thought he might be a kindred soul."  
  
"How do you mean?"  
  
"I mean that…" she paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. "I saw him that first day by accident, and he seemed to be the same man he always was at school. But then he started following me, and I thought about the friends he'd had at Hogwarts, and I wondered if perhaps he might be as lonely as me. Simply put, I needed a friend, and I thought he might, too." Narcissa mulled this over for a moment. She knew her son had been a different person since that date with the Greengrass girl; more introverted than usual. Perhaps Ginny Weasley was just what he needed, after all.  
  
"Something has been bothering me, Ginevra. Draco has told me before how he treated you and your friends in school, and yet you have invited him into your life as your friend with no questions asked. Why?"  
  
"People change," she shrugged. "But I have no illusions as to why your son is showing interest in me for the time being. It's not my friendship he wants; it's information."  
  
"If you're so sure of that, then why are you bothering with anything more?"  
  
"If he is to get information from me, should I not at least get a little from him, as well?" she asked defensively. "I enjoy the companionship of a handsome man the same as any other woman." She didn't realize what she'd said until she saw Narcissa's smile, and she frowned. "I didn't mean that."  
  
"You did, and it's perfectly fine. You're right, after all. Why should a woman let a man use her and get nothing in return?"  
  
"I didn't mean it to sound like that," she murmured, shaking her head.  
  
"You may not have, dear, but that's how it came out. I think that Draco will surprise you. He's a lovely young man, and I'm not just saying that because he's my son. He's dutiful, he's charming, he's loving, and he's-"  
  
"Generous, when he wants to be," Ginny smiled. Narcissa beamed at her.   
  
"He certainly is. Are you ready to go home, child? You seem tired."   
  
"I'm sorry," Ginny said after yawning. "I don't mean to be rude. I had a long night last night, and today was more excitement than I'm typically used to."  
  
"I quite understand." She rose gracefully from her chair and smiled at Ginny. "Perhaps we'd best call Draco to escort you home."  
  
"No, that's all right, you needn't bother-" at that moment, Draco appeared in the doorway. Narcissa hid her smile when she saw his flushed cheeks, and knew that she'd been right when she'd assumed that it was he standing outside the door, eavesdropping.   
  
"Why, hello, darling," she said softly. "Is something the matter?"  
  
"Not at all, Mother. I was simply coming to check on our guest, to see if she was ready to leave yet."  
  
"She is, indeed. Would you please escort her home? I have a feeling that she's too tired to apparate, and the house elves have closed the floo for the evening already."  
  
"Do you need me to get your cloak?" Draco asked. Ginny noted that he didn't even look at her, which made her feel strangely disappointed. She nodded.  
  
"Please. Thank you." He disappeared and returned scant moments later, holding the cloak out to her. She wrapped it around her shoulders and smiled at Narcissa, who wrapped her in a perfumed hug.  
  
"It's been lovely having you here, my dear. I'm already looking forward to tomorrow evening. Goodnight." Narcissa headed out into the hallway, leaving Ginny alone in the room with Draco.  
  
"Ready, then?" he asked. She nodded, and they made their way down the corridor and out onto the grounds of the Manor. She was rather enjoying the way her breath turned into tiny white clouds when he spoke again. "Do you still enjoy Quidditch?"  
  
She turned and gave him a look of surprise. How had he known- oh, yes. She'd been on the Gryffindor team at Hogwarts. "Yes, I do, although I shouldn't. My favorite team keeps managing to lose every time they play."  
  
"Tell me you're not a Cannons fan," he said, wrinkling his nose in disgust. She laughed.  
  
"No, that's Ron. I'm a Falcons fan." His eyes flew to her face to see if she was joking or not. When he saw that she was quite serious, he did something that almost knocked her off of her feet.   
  
He smiled.  
  
"No, really? I'm a Falcons fan, myself. Best team in the league, you know."   
  
"Yes, well, if they're the best team, please explain to me why it is that Porter keeps cobbing every player on the opposite teams? He got called so many times on it in the last game that he-"  
  
"Was suspended for the next one," Draco finished her sentence for her, laughing. She grinned. "I didn't realize you were such an avid fan."  
  
"What else is a girl to do?" she sighed melodramatically. He rolled his eyes and bit back a smile. "They're playing tomorrow afternoon, you know. It's a tradition for me to wear my Falcons shirt and go down to the Three Broomsticks and watch the games on the enchanted telly."  
  
"I've never seen you there," he said, giving her an appraising look.  
  
"Probably because I stay well hidden. I don't much care for going out in public these days," she said this last part with bitterness that surprised Draco.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Are you kidding? Every time I'm out, either I get mobbed by the press, or the Terrific Trio hunts me down and wants to know what I'm doing out alone."  
  
"The press? And why do they care if you go out alone?"  
  
"The press is continually looking for ways to get to Harry," she said, shrugging. She missed him wince at the sound of Harry's name. "And they think that since I'm related to his best friend, I'm a prime target for kidnapping or assassination, or something equally as stupid."  
  
"I'm sure you can take care of yourself," he murmured, looking ahead. She stared at him, her jaw hanging open a bit.  
  
"I can." Sooner than she would have liked, they were standing in front of the door to her flat. She turned and smiled nervously at him. "Thank you for walking me home. You didn't have to. I'll see you at dinner tomorrow evening. Goodnight." She turned and put her hand on the doorknob, but stopped when he cleared his throat.  
  
"Perhaps you'd like to join me in watching the game?" She spun around to stare wide-eyed at him. "That is, if you're not otherwise engaged."  
  
"I'd love to."  
  
"Excellent. I'll come for you around one o'clock. Goodnight." Before she could respond, he had turned and started down the street.  
  
_What's come over me? _He wondered. _Just because she likes Quidditch isn't a reason to ask her over to watch it!_ He sighed noisily, and repeated to himself that he had a reason for garnering her friendship. The thing that bothered him was that he could no longer clearly say what that reason was.


	8. Chapter 8

"Has anyone seen Ginny Weasley?" Hermione turned and stared at Professor Snape. Not only had she never heard him say Ginny's first name before, she had also never heard that worried note in his voice.   
  
"We saw her at the last meeting," Ron said, his voice wavering uncertainly. "Didn't we?"  
  
"Of course we did, Ron," Harry reassured him, flashing a warning look at Snape. "And I'm sure Severus did as well." Snape curled his lip distastefully. He hated Potter addressing him as though he were an equal.  
  
"Why do you ask?" Hermione asked quietly. Snape turned his obsidian eyes to her.  
  
"Your friend seems to be drifting away. She had some rather… _disturbing_ thoughts during the last meeting." Ron's face turned scarlet.  
  
"You'd better not be using Occlumency or Legilimency or whatever it is on her!" he fumed. "You swore an oath to Dumbledore that you wouldn't do it to anyone during the meetings!"  
  
"I know perfectly well what I swore, thank you," he said, his voice clipped and angry. "This was after the meeting, when she was hurrying out. Tell me, did the three of you know she was consorting with the likes of Draco Malfoy?" Harry spun around and looked him dead in the eye.  
  
_You'd better investigate and stop her while there's still time.  
  
I don't believe you.  
  
Believe what you will; she is on speaking terms with him, at any rate. Who knows what else is going on._ Hermione and Ron looked nervously between them, aware that every time this happened, it turned into a battle of wills.  
  
_Ginny would never betray us by doing that.  
  
Just like she never betrayed you to Tom Riddle in her first year?_ Something that could only be called a growl escaped Harry's throat, and Hermione instinctively took a step backwards.  
  
"How dare you," he whispered, his voice dangerous. "How dare you ever make mention of that! You weren't there, and you have no idea what anyone involved went through!" Snape smirked at him.  
  
"Don't I? You seem to forget, Potter, that you are not the only Legilimens running around the Order meetings. If you want to keep your friend alive, you'll inquire into the state of things." With that, Snape turned and went through the door. Ron stared at Harry.  
  
"What was that slimy git saying? Surely he wasn't serious when he said that she'd taken up with him, of all people?"  
  
"Ginny would never do that, Ron," Hermione soothed, reaching for his hand. "She knows that he's evil and would only use her to his own ends." Harry still hadn't met their eyes, which was starting to make Hermione doubt the words she'd just spoken.  
  
"Regardless, maybe we should check in on her tomorrow," Harry suggested, gathering his things. "This is the first Order meeting she's ever missed, and it's not like her."  
  
"Tomorrow, then," Hermione agreed. "Right now, I'm too tired to waste my time thinking about the ferret."

****

Sunlight poured in through the windows of Ginny's small flat, and she squinted against it. Morning had always been her least favorite time of the day. She yawned and rolled over to go back to sleep when she remembered that Draco had invited her to watch Quidditch with him. Her eyes flew open and she flung the covers off, scrambling out of bed and heading towards the bathroom to shower.  
  
At the Manor, Draco was no less nervous. He had begun pacing in the sitting room, mulling over what he'd heard the night before. He knew it was impolite to eavesdrop on his Mother's conversation, but when he'd heard his name mentioned, he'd been rooted to the spot. He was intrigued by what he'd heard, too, which he believed had led directly to his weakness last night in asking her to watch the game with him.  
  
She had been right; he needed a friend. In the worst way. He was terribly lonely. Not that his parents weren't good company; they were. There was just the tiniest problem of his father not being able to go out of the house, lest the Ministry and Potter sweep down and cart him back off to Azkaban. His mother stayed home almost constantly as well; she wanted to spend time near his father. Ginny would be a welcome distraction- anything that allowed him out of the house on occasion was.  
  
He didn't know why, but he'd felt the sharp sting of guilt when she'd told his mother that she knew he was just using her for information. How could she say that, when he hadn't asked her for any? She'd volunteered her own information, and he'd asked about it for clarification, but aside from that he hadn't asked for anything more. Yes, it was why he'd originally started talking to her, but it still stung nonetheless that she'd said it.  
  
He smirked and stopped pacing to stare out the window. She'd called him handsome, hadn't she? Well, he knew he was good looking. That wasn't anything new to him. A glimmer of something started in his chest. She'd mentioned the kindred spirit thing before she'd mentioned his looks, and she hadn't said he was rich, had she? Yes, she'd said he could be generous, but that was different than filthy, stinking, betray-your-family-for-a-handful-of-galleons rich.   
  
Perhaps she was the one. The one who would see him as more than a pocketbook.   
  
He shook his head to try and clear the thought. _You can't go into every relationship believing that this one will be the one, Draco._  
  
"Yes, but I can't go into every one thinking that it _won't_ be the one, either," he murmured aloud. His eyes widened. Had he really just caught himself thinking about Ginny Weasley in the context of entering into a relationship with her?

****

  
  
Ginny had just finished brushing her hair when she heard a loud _pop_ in the sitting room. She smiled to herself and stood, moving into the other room. Her smile died on her lips. Instead of the white-blonde hair she'd expected (and been looking forward to) to see, she was greeted with a mass of unruly black hair. His bright eyes were darting around the room, looking for signs of – what, exactly, she wasn't sure.   
  
Her temper flared. Snape must have said something to him, or else he wouldn't be here. She cleared her throat and Harry spun, surprised to see her.  
  
"Good morning, Harry," she said, forcing herself to sound less angry than she was. She moved into the kitchen and began pouring herself a glass of juice. He followed and watched her closely.   
  
"Morning, Gin. You weren't at the meeting last night, so I thought I'd come and check on you. How have you been?"  
  
"So you drew the shortest straw then, did you?" He blushed. How had she known that they drew straws to determine who would take on the unwanted tasks they had to do?  
  
"It's not like that, Gin. We're all really worried about you. You've been acting strange lately." She turned and glared at him.  
  
"You're all worried about me, are you? Then how is it that only one of you is here to check on me? And who thinks I've been acting strange? Because I know it sure as hell wasn't one of you that noticed it."  
  
"Now hang on just a tic-"  
  
"No, you hang on, Harry Potter." She was so angry that she didn't hear a pop in the other room, signaling someone else's apparition. "I'm sick and tired of being the little tagalong that you all decide to ignore until something goes wrong. Maybe if the three of you paid attention to anything outside of each other, you'd realize that you're not as invincible as you seem to think you are!"  
  
"Just what in the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" he fumed, his eyes glittering angrily. "I just came by to check on you because you missed the meeting!"  
  
"Oh? Well I'm not buying it, Harry. Why did you really come?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"It does no good to lie to me, and you know it. Your left eye always twitches a bit when you do." His cheeks turned crimson.  
  
"Fine. I do have another reason for coming to check on you."  
  
"Well? Out with it."  
  
"Someone told us that you've been speaking to Draco Malfoy."  
  
"And if I had been?"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"You've no control over who I choose to speak to, and if Draco is someone I choose to spend time with, then that's just too bad for you, isn't it?"  
  
"Ginny," he sputtered indignantly. "Malfoy is among the foulest, nastiest things to ever-"  
  
"Don't you dare talk about him like that in front of me," she said, poking his chest with her forefinger. "He has been nothing but a perfect gentleman to me!"  
  
"That's because he wants information from you!"  
  
"Yes, and? I know that no one could ever be interested in me for me, Harry. You proved that to me a long time ago." His cheeks very nearly turned purple with rage and embarrassment.  
  
"I didn't come here for you to launch a personal attack on me!"  
  
"No, you most certainly didn't! You came here because you got stuck with checking on your best friend's little sister. Even my own brother doesn't care enough about me to come and check on me!"  
  
"That's not-"  
  
"Save it, Harry," she said, holding a hand up to silence him. "It doesn't matter what you say, it won't work. If I wish to continue speaking to Draco, then I will."  
  
"What if we cut you out of the meetings, then?" Harry asked, his voice trembling. "Then you'll see how interested in you he was."  
  
"If you choose to do that, then I will be up front with him and tell him. And you're right, he'll probably stop speaking to me, and you will be responsible for having lost me my only friend. It will all be on your conscience, Harry."  
  
"Don't bother coming to the meetings any more, Gin." He turned to leave, but stopped at the door to look at her over his shoulder. "It didn't have to be like this, you know."  
  
"The hell it didn't. You made it this way, all of you. Ever wonder why I picked up Tom's diary and began writing in it, Harry? No? It was you. I was sure he'd tell you that. Didn't he? What a shame." She turned and went back to her juice, her shoulders slumping when she heard the telltale _crack _signaling that Harry was gone.  
  
She leaned over the sink and began to cry so hard that she was shaking.  
  
Suddenly a hand dropped on her shoulder, and she spun around in surprise, bumping noses with Draco as she did.  
  
"Oh, Gods, I'm so sorry," she said quickly, horrified. He blinked at her over the hand that was cupping his nose. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I was until you bloody well brained me, you ninny!" She put her hands on her hips, then reached up to pull his hand down and inspect his nose.  
  
"Oh, you're fine. It's just going to bruise a bit- nothing a little glamour won't take care of. I am sorry for it, though." He wiggled his nose a bit and winced, then took a closer look at her.  
  
"You've been crying," he said flatly. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks and turned away to rinse out her juice glass. "Why?"  
  
"Why does anyone cry?" she shot back quietly. He watched as she dried the glass and replaced it in her cabinet.  
  
"Are you ready to go, then?"  
  
"Listen, Draco," she began, turning to face him. He froze. She'd never addressed him by his first name before, and it sounded strange coming from her lips. "Before you decide if you want to talk to me any longer, there's something you should know. Harry's just been here, and he's told me that I'm not welcome back to any of the meetings, so it looks like I'm not going to be much use to you after all. Thanks for the past few days, and I'll send your mother an owl with the clothes she bought me. Let me just-" her sentence died and she went into the sitting room, where she pulled the cloak he'd bought her off of the hook and held it out to him. He just stared at it.  
  
"What's all this, then? I bought it for you, do you really think I want it back?"  
  
"It's only right of me to give it back to you, considering the circumstances." Still he made no move to take it from her.  
  
"And what circumstances are those again?"  
  
"Well, the fact that I'm not allowed to the meetings any longer, so I can't be of use to you." He arched an eyebrow at her.  
  
"And why, may I ask, did Potter tell you not to come back?" at this her cheeks turned crimson.  
  
"He just- he didn't like that I missed last night, and we got into a fight about it, is all." He stared at her. He'd been listening; he knew bloody well that she'd gotten kicked out because of him. So why had she stood her ground? Why hadn't she raged at him and blamed him for getting her kicked out of Potter's little club? Was it possible that she preferred his company to theirs?  
  
"And that's it?"  
  
"That's it."  
  
"Then let's get one damned thing straight here," he drawled, his face entirely serious. She took a deep breath. "Potter is the biggest moron that ever walked the face of the earth, and now we _both_ know it. Just because he's stupid doesn't mean that I've uninvited you to anything." She stared at him, not daring to hope. "And it sure as hell doesn't mean that I want my gift back, either. To add to that, I'm sure my Mother would be most upset if you returned her gifts as well. I believe she's grown rather fond of you."  
  
"She has?" she breathed, her heart beating erratically. He smirked at her.  
  
"She has indeed. Now put the ruddy thing on and let's go, before we miss the start of the damned game!" She didn't hesitate to throw the cloak about her shoulder and step into the fireplace. When she was gone, he sighed.  
  
"And bugger it all if she's not the only one."


	9. Chapter 9

"Come _on!"_ Ginny screamed, flailing her arms at the referee. Draco couldn't help but grin at her; he was not accustomed to seeing a woman get excited about Quidditch. She flopped down in her seat and took a long sip of her butterbeer, then turned to him. "Did you see that ridiculous call? Haversacking, my arse!"  
  
"I agree," he said, sitting up straighter. He waved for the waitress to bring another round of drinks. "It couldn't possibly have been haversacking- his hand was nowhere _near_ the Quaffle when it went through!"  
  
"The ref is bloody blind!" she snorted. Draco chuckled.  
  
"Do you always get this aggressive during Quidditch?"  
  
"Sadly yes. I'm even worse when I play."  
  
"Why is it that you never tried to play professionally?" She wrinkled her nose.  
  
"For starters, I wasn't nearly good enough. Secondly, my family wouldn't hear of it. Quidditch is much too dangerous a sport for a woman to play." He stared at her.  
  
"You're kidding, right?"  
  
"No."  
  
"They _do_ realize that Holyoke is all women, do they not?"  
  
"Yeah, but who'd want to play for Holyoke?" she pretended to gag herself, and he laughed.  
  
"All right, you have a point there." Ginny smiled at him before turning back to the game. She'd never had so much fun watching Quidditch before; Draco was an excellent companion in that respect. He knew the game inside and out, and he seemed to have the same love for it that she did. He was even a fan of the same team that she was.   
  
All in all, she was supremely sad when the game ended- even though her team had won for the first time in nearly a month. She stood and tossed some money on the table, which Draco promptly handed back to her. She stared at it in her palm before meeting his eyes.  
  
"Draco, I didn't come here with the intentions of letting you buy all of my drinks. I wouldn't have had nearly as much had I known you were going to be treating." He scowled at her and handed her her cloak.   
  
"It's nothing. It was just a few butterbeers." She looked down at the empty bottles on the table, then at the cloak that was draped over her arm.  
  
"I don't want you to think that I'm coming around just to get things from you." By this time they had approached the fireplace, but he stopped just before he stepped in, and turned to her. She pulled her cloak on, and he led her out into the nearly deserted street.  
  
"Why _do_ you keep coming around, then?"  
  
"It's nice to have a friend," she said simply.   
  
"Does that mean you consider _me_ your friend, then?"  
  
"I think that's what I just said, yes," she grinned cheekily. He chuckled.  
  
"And here I thought you were just using me to get to my mother." She threw her head back and laughed, and he was immediately struck by how much happier she looked now than when he'd run into her that first day on the street. The snow made crunching sounds beneath their feet as they walked, and soon rosy spots appeared on both of their cheeks.  
  
"How about some chocolate, on me?" she suggested, pointing to a vendor. He smiled.   
  
"That sounds wonderful." She purchased the drinks, and handed him his. She was just about to take a sip of her own when she spotted a red head moving swiftly towards them.  
  
"Oh, _no,"_ she muttered. Draco followed her eyes and immediately stiffened. "Maybe we should go," she said hurriedly. He turned his eyes back to her.  
  
"Ashamed to be seen with me, are you?"  
  
"No, it's not that at all, Draco, I swear. I just don't want-"  
  
_"Ginevra Weasley!"_ She closed her eyes as he shrieked. "What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" She opened her eyes and glared at Ron.  
  
"What does it _look_ like I'm doing?" she snapped. "I'm having chocolate with a friend." Draco couldn't understand the pleased feeling that flooded over him at her words.  
  
_"Friend?"_ Ron sneered at Draco. "All right, you've had your fun, now come on. There's been an emergency meeting called, and you've got to be there." He reached for her arm, but she jerked it away.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere," she said, laughing bitterly. "Hasn't Harry told you that he banned me from the meetings?" Ron stared, then shook his head.  
  
"That's not true, Harry wouldn't do anything like that."  
  
"I assure you it _is_ true, Weasel," Draco drawled coolly. "Heard it myself. He told her not to come back to his ruddy meetings." Ginny blinked but said nothing. Ron's ears turned crimson.  
  
"As if I'd believe anything _you_ had to say, ferret boy."  
  
"Don't call him that!" Ginny said, her voice low. "Why don't you just go to the meeting and ask Harry about it? I'd even be willing to place a wager on the fact that the meeting is actually a sort of way to brainstorm an intervention for me." Draco's eyes flew to her in surprise, and Ron gaped.  
  
"This is ridiculous! Ginny, just drop this act and come with me. You've made your point, and we all notice you now."  
  
"Sod off, Ron." With that, she turned and began walking in the opposite direction. Draco had to jog to catch up to her, and when he did, she rounded on him. "Did you really hear Harry tell me that?"  
  
"I did."  
  
"What else did you hear?"   
  
"Enough to know that Potter is a moron- not that I didn't already know that." She stared at him, then her face broke into a smile. After a moment she started giggling. When she had sobered finally, she smiled warmly at him.  
  
"I can't thank you enough for this afternoon. It's the most fun I've had in a long time. It's nice to watch a game with someone who's rooting for the same team as me."  
  
"Ditto," he said, grinning. "You know, Weasley, I have to admit that I had my doubts about this relationship before, but I'm beginning to come 'round. You might very well be tolerable, after all." She giggled again.  
  
"No, you're just doing it to sod Harry off." He shrugged, but he was smiling.  
  
"That's just a bonus."  
  
"In any case, I don't care, so long as you at least pretend to like me." They had reached the end of the road, and he stopped walking to look at her.  
  
"I don't have to pretend anything." She held her breath as she met his eyes. "I enjoyed the afternoon, too, and I look forward to seeing you at dinner as well. Perhaps this evening you can stay a bit longer? I could give you a tour of the Manor, if you'd like." Her eyes lit up.  
  
"Are you sure? I'd love to see it." He grinned.  
  
"Eight o'clock, then." She nodded, and he disappeared with a loud crack.  
  
Once he had gotten back inside the Manor and hung his cloak up, he sought out his mother in her sitting room. She looked up from her book and smiled.  
  
"Did you have a nice outing, sweet?" He sat down and smiled at her as he leaned back in the plush chair.  
  
"I did, actually. Weasley and I went to the Three Broomsticks to watch the Quidditch match."  
  
"How did it turn out?"  
  
"The Falcons won."  
  
"How lovely!"  
  
"Mother, I wanted to talk to you about something."  
  
"Yes, darling?"  
  
"I overheard something when I went to pick her up, and I wanted your opinion on it. She was speaking to Potter, and he was being rather nasty to her about something. She stood up to him and told him that she was not going to stop talking to me, regardless of if I was just using her for information."  
  
"She's a very strong girl, Draco. Did it bother you to hear her say that to him?"  
  
"No, quite the opposite, Mother. When I finally showed myself to her, she even admitted that she was no longer going to be in his inner circle, and she offered to give back the cloak and all the things you'd purchased her, since she wasn't going to be of any use to me any longer."  
  
"Heavens, no! What did you say?"  
  
"I told her to keep the things, because we'd both be upset if she gave them back. I also told her, in not so many words, that it didn't bother me that she was no longer attending meetings with Potter." His mother relaxed visibly and smiled softly at him.  
  
"So what's still troubling you, then?" He fidgeted for a moment in his seat before he met her eyes.  
  
"I know she doesn't want anything from me," he said quietly. "She was willing to give back all of the expensive gifts without a second thought, and she's never asked me to buy her anything. I'm just not sure what to do now. What do I do, Mother?"  
  
"Darling, are you trying to tell me that you've developed feelings for the girl?"  
  
"I-I don't know," he admitted. "She stood up to her brother for me today, and it made me feel… I just don't know," he sighed in exasperation.  
  
"Don't try to force it, Draco. Just let it come naturally; let it wash over you. If it helps at all, I already know that the girl has developed feelings for you." He stared at her.  
  
"How would you come to know something like that?"  
  
"The entire time we were shopping, whenever your name was brought up, she would get this very faraway look on her face. She may not be aware of it yet, but she is falling for you." He turned this over in his mind for a bit.  
  
"What if something should arise between us? Would you-"  
  
"Your Father has already spoken his piece about her to you. You know how I feel about her. It's up to you, Draco. If she makes you happy, you will do the right thing, I'm sure of it."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
  
"Bloody hell, Hermione- Snape was right," Ron sat down miserably and cradled his face in his hands. "I was out running some errands today and ran into Ginny and Malfoy in the street together." Hermione sat down beside him and patted his back gently.  
  
"Ron, maybe it's not what it looks like. She could be trying to infiltrate for us and garner some useful information. After all, it's not like we give her a lot to do for us. She probably just got bored."  
  
"How is she going to get information for us when Harry's banned her from the bloody meetings?" he snapped. Hermione's hand froze on his back.  
  
"Harry did what?"  
  
"Banned her from the meetings! She said it, then Malfoy said he heard it. I don't want to believe them, but the look on her face... sweet Merlin, Hermione, what are we going to do? I don't want to lose my sister to that git!"  
  
"It's our fault," she whispered. "This is exactly what happened when she-" she stopped at Ron's warning look. "Well, it's what happened before. We should have been paying more attention to her."  
  
"We'll just have to start now, is all," Ron said resolutely, sitting up straight. "And I'm going to have words with Harry when he gets here, too. He had no right to kick her out of the Order." Hermione thought about this for a moment before she answered.  
  
"Ron, I think he did the right thing. If she's meeting with Malfoy, even for innocent reasons, it's possible that she could accidentally let some information slip to him. Harry was just looking out for us."  
  
"I can't believe it," he said, standing. "My own fiancée turning on me, and siding with Harry! So what am I supposed to do, just let my sister go? Just give her over to Malfoy without a fight?"  
  
"Please calm down, Ron. I didn't mean it like that, and you know it. Of course we're not going to let her go – I just agree with Harry that we should probably keep her away from the Order meetings until we have things sorted out and know what we're going to do about her." Ron sat down again but remained silent.  
  
What if when they went to save her, she was too far beyond their reach?  
  
Narcissa was sitting at her table, brushing her hair when her husband swept into the room and dropped a kiss atop her head. She turned and smiled brightly at him as he sat down on the bed.  
  
"Research going well, darling?" she asked sweetly.  
  
"As well as can be expected, since I can't go out of the house to get exactly what I need," he grumbled. "How has your day been so far?"  
  
"Interesting," she said quietly, giving him a knowing smile. He blinked, then a slow grin spread across his face.  
  
"Interesting as in how?"  
  
"Interesting as in I think our son is falling in love." Lucius' grin broadened.  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"It is." She proceeded to tell him everything that Draco had confided in her, including the part about how Harry Potter had banned her from the meetings they'd been having. He sat back and tried to absorb it all.  
  
"Potter is an even bigger fool than I thought," he murmured softly.  
  
"How so?"  
  
"Well, even though he's ousted her from their meetings, if she so chose, she could still give us a wealth of information on their goings on up until this point. She could tell us any number of things, including where they've met, who attends the meetings, what they've discussed – it just doesn't make sense that he'd cut ties with her that easily."  
  
"Do you think she's being watched, then?"  
  
"No; I doubt that any of her hot-headed friends would be able to just sit idly by and watch our son woo her."  
  
"What do you think is going on, then?" She replaced her brush on the vanity and moved to lie beside him on the bed, where he wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think it would be wise for all of us if we kept Ginny Weasley nearby for a while."  
  
"She's coming for dinner tonight," she offered, snuggling closer to him.  
  
"I'd almost forgotten. Yes, we'll have to discuss it with her tonight. Perhaps Draco will be able to convince her to stay in our home, for all of our sakes."  
  
"You want her to stay with us?" Narcissa sounded exceedingly pleased, which made him chuckle.  
  
"You're fond of the girl, are you not?"  
  
"Extremely. She's like the daughter I never had." His arms tightened around her reflexively. Draco's birth had been too hard on his wife's body, and despite their efforts, she'd never managed to conceive again. It was a sad thing for the both of them- they'd always discussed having a large family.  
  
"Well, if what you say is true, perhaps in time she will be your daughter."  
  
Ginny was so used to people either apparating or flooing into her flat that she was surprised by a loud knock at her front door. She looked through the peephole and saw a very worried looking Hermione, with her finger in her mouth. She sighed quietly and rolled her eyes. Hermione only bit her nails when she was nervous. She slid open the deadbolt and opened the door.  
  
"Hullo, Ginny," she said, smiling. "May I come in?"  
  
"Actually, I was just on my way out. Was there something you needed?"  
  
"Out?" Hermione frowned. "I was just coming to ask you to dinner."  
  
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I've already made plans for dinner." A loud crack resonated throughout her flat, and she beamed at Hermione. "And there he is now, so if you don't mind-"  
  
"Weasley?" Hermione stiffened at the sound of Malfoy's voice. He appeared behind Ginny within a matter of moments and gave Hermione an appraising look, which surprised her. He turned back to Ginny. "Should I leave?"  
  
"No, please," she said, shaking her head. "Hermione was finished with what she came for, weren't you?" Without waiting for Hermione's answer, Ginny shut the door in her face. Hermione's heart sank in her chest when she heard muffled laughter from behind the door.  
  
We're too late.  
  
Draco waited for Ginny to fetch her cloak, then held his arm out to her as he flashed her a winning smile.  
  
"You look lovely," he whispered in her ear. Tiny shivers ran down her spine, and she turned to give him a look of surprise.  
  
"Thank you," she said, her cheeks turning slightly pink. "You don't look so bad yourself, but then, I'm sure you already knew that." He chuckled, then wrapped his arm around her waist as they stepped into her tiny fireplace. When they emerged in the foyer of the Manor, he was pleased to note that she didn't pull away from him immediately.  
  
She only pulled away from him when they heard approaching footsteps. He felt a twinge of disappointment when his Mother rounded the corner and Ginny rushed to embrace her, then he had to bite back a smile. The girl had spent two days around his mother and already she was enamored of her. Well, that was nothing less than he'd been expecting; his mother was the reason that his friends had always wanted to have their parties at the Manor.  
  
"How are you, Ginevra?" His mother beamed. Ginny gave her a weak smile.  
  
"I've been better." Narcissa frowned slightly.  
  
"Is something the matter, dear?"  
  
"Just those idiots that won't leave her alone," Draco muttered under his breath. Ginny arched an eyebrow at him, but neither he nor his mother saw it.  
  
"What idiots? Has someone been bothering you, Ginevra?"  
  
"My brother's friends seem to think that they can make all of my decision for me, is all. They didn't even notice I was alive until they found out I was seeing-"she stopped herself and Draco swiveled around to look at her. "That I was friends with Draco." Disappointment flooded through him.  
  
"And they don't like Draco, is that it?" The way that Narcissa pursed her lips made it clear to Ginny that she saw no reason that anyone wouldn't like her son.  
  
"No, they don't."  
  
"I see." Her voice indicated that she did not see, and she did not want to see. Clearly anyone who didn't see her son's merits was beneath him as far as she was concerned. Her voice softened when she spoke again. "But you do not share their sentiments?"  
  
"Of course not," Ginny said quickly, blushing. "I think Draco is perfectly- "she stopped herself again, the heat in her face telling Narcissa exactly what she thought of Draco. "Well, I think he's charming." Draco's lips tilted up in a smile, although it was hidden from Ginny because he was behind her.  
  
"Mother, is it time for dinner yet, or do I have a few moments to show Ginny around the Manor?" Narcissa smiled warmly.  
  
"Take all the time you like. Dinner will be served when you've finished." Draco inclined his head. Ginny felt a burning sensation at the small of her back, then flushed pleasurably when she realized that it was being caused by Draco's hand. He'd placed his hand there to lead her out of the room.  
  
Narcissa watched them go, a smile playing at her lips. Perhaps I'd better ask Lucius where he put his Grandmother's wedding set, after all. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
  
"It really is much cozier than I had thought it might be," Ginny murmured, her eyes darting over the priceless works of art that graced the walls of the corridor. Draco's hand had long since been withdrawn from her back, leaving her feeling a bit bereft. He grinned at her.  
  
"How had you thought it would be?"  
  
"I don't know," she shrugged. "I suppose I thought it would be severe, for lack of a better word. Imposing and cold. In any case, not nearly as warm as it is. It's really rather inviting, isn't it?" She smiled. He nodded, knowing that she was referring to the rich gold tones of the carpet and tapestries. "I guess it's a stereotype, but I was expecting something along the lines of the dungeons at Hogwarts – all decked out in Slytherin green and silver." He chuckled.  
  
"Do you know that that was the hardest thing for me to get used to at school? I loved being in Slytherin, but I always hated those dungeons. They were too drafty. What was Gryffindor Tower like?"  
  
"Wonderful," she gushed happily. Her school years had been the best of her life; she had been a part of a group, and she had felt loved and wanted. Those were the things that she associated with Gryffindor Tower. Draco watched with bated breath as the emotions played across her face, finally coming to rest on happiness. "It was open and airy and always warm."  
  
"It figures," he chuckled. "You lot get the pick of the castle, and we evil Slytherins were stuck away in the dungeon. Dumbledore was probably hoping that he could forget us if he put us there." She rolled her eyes but laughed at him.  
  
"Oh, this is lovely," she said breathlessly, her eyes locking on a painting. He nodded.  
  
"This is one of my favorites. Are you familiar with the artist?"  
  
"Of course I am," she said, eyeing the painting reverently. "I'd recognize a Renoir portrait anywhere." He was mildly impressed. "But I had thought that this portrait was destroyed many years ago." She turned to him with a confused expression.  
  
"The one that was destroyed was a fake. This is the real one." She turned back and eyed the flowers with awe. "Am I to believe that you appreciate fine art?"  
  
"Of course," she said, finally tearing herself away from the painting to walk down the hall with him.  
  
"Then let me show you my parents' private gallery." He escorted her down the corridor and through a set of double doors. Once inside, she stopped and let out an audible gasp. She turned to him with wide eyes.  
  
"Draco, this is incredible! Look at all of the-"her words died, and she hurried over to a painting of sunflowers. "Van Gogh!" she announced. He watched with growing amusement as she moved to the next painting, which was of a woman in a hat. "Matisse!" As she looked at all of the portraits, she shouted their names. "Cézanne! Picasso! Monet! And-"her breath escaped her as she stopped in front of a painting that was all swirling midnight blue and bright yellow stars.  
  
She turned to look at him, and the rapture on her face nearly made him stumble backwards.  
  
"My favorite Van Gogh work of all time- Starry Night." She turned back to the painting and stood with her hands clasped against her chest, taking the portrait in greedily with her eyes. He moved to stand next to her and eyed it thoughtfully. The truth was that, although he had an eye for art and he loved buying it, he'd never really looked at this painting before.  
  
His parents had allowed him to start buying the pieces after he'd been through the heartache with Daphne, and he'd slowly been building up the collection since then. He'd seen this one and it had struck a chord in him at the time, so he'd picked it up. He hadn't been back to look at it in ages, but he had clearly been in the wrong for doing so – apparently Ginny Weasley saw something in it that he had not seen.  
  
Their art gazing was interrupted by a man coughing, and they both turned reluctantly to see Lucius smiling at them. He strode in and appraised the portrait they were both staring at, then turned to his son.  
  
"I must admit, I rather like it, Draco. Is this the newest addition?"  
  
"Yes, Father. I just purchased it last week."  
  
"What do you think, Ginny?"  
  
"I adore it," she said, her eyes focusing back on the picture. "Van Gogh was my favorite artist, next to Monet. Without a doubt, though, this is my absolute favorite piece of art. You have an excellent collection, Lucius."  
  
"You are a collector, too?" he asked, slightly surprised that a Weasley would be familiar with the art in his gallery. She shook her head and looked somewhat dejected.  
  
"I'm not a collector, but I am an avid browser." He chuckled. Of course, the girl his son would fall in love with would be nothing less than highly intelligent, with good taste. He'd expected nothing less.  
  
"Well, as much as I'd like to take the credit for being the one to impress you, I must digress. Draco is solely responsible for every piece of artwork in this room. This is his gallery; his baby, if you will." Ginny smiled warmly at Draco, and he grinned before turning his attention back to his father.  
  
"Have you come to collect us for dinner?" he asked. Lucius nodded.  
  
"Your Mother sent me to find you. Have you finished with your tour of the Manor?"  
  
"Not quite," Draco said, falling into step beside his father. Ginny was struggling to keep up with their pace, and when Draco noticed, he slowed his steps. His father hid a grin. So the boy was falling, after all.  
  
"Perhaps Ginny would agree to stay a bit longer after dinner tonight, and you can continue then?"  
  
"I would love to," she said eagerly. Draco reached behind her and let his hand settle lightly on the small of her back. She was trying not to look too pleased as he led her into the dining room, where his Mother was already waiting for them.  
  
"Well, the three of you certainly look happy," she laughed. "What have I missed?" Draco pulled out Ginny's chair, then pushed it in as she sat down. He took the chair next to her and smiled at his Mother.  
  
"I was just showing Ginny the art gallery, Mother."  
  
"And how did you find it, Ginevra?"  
  
"It was lovely. One of the most wonderful things I've ever seen."  
  
"Excellent." Their light conversation continued throughout dinner, with the topic hovering around the subject of art the entire time. Lucius cleared his throat and switched gears as they sipped their coffee and brandy.  
  
"Ginny, I believe there is something that merits discussing. It's been brought to my attention that you've been having some problems with your- er, friends, as it were." She blushed but maintained eye contact.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I've been thinking about it, and Narcissa and I have discussed it at some length. We've decided that, should you feel inclined to do so, you are more than welcome to stay here, if you've need of a place to get away to." Ginny's eyes widened and Draco nearly choked on his mouthful of brandy.  
  
"You want Ginny to stay here?"  
  
"Only if she wishes it." Draco turned to look at Ginny as he wiped the brandy from his chin. She blinked. Staying with the Malfoys would almost be like a waking dream, she was sure of it. No Harry or Ron or Hermione to worry about. No pressure to have friends that she didn't want to have. Not to mention that she would have the almost constant company of Draco and Narcissa, and even Lucius wasn't turning out to be as stoic as she had thought. She looked up at Lucius.  
  
"Might I take until the end of the evening to mull it over?"  
  
"Of course," he assented, smiling. "Take all the time you like." He rose from the table and helped Narcissa up, then led her out of the room. Ginny stared down at her empty mug of coffee.  
  
"I should have told the house elves that you prefer chocolate to coffee," he mused, his voice thick with amusement. She smiled at him.  
  
"There's no need to go out of the way to accommodate me. Coffee is fine- this coffee is wonderful."  
  
"Ginny," he said, taking a deep breath. "Do you want to stay here?" She fidgeted for a moment before glancing up at him.  
  
"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I have grown fond of your family, and I enjoy spending time with you. I know that sounds terribly pathetic, given that we've spent a grand total of three days together, but-"  
  
"It doesn't sound pathetic," he said, frowning. "Why would you even think that?"  
  
"I just thought-"  
  
"Do you not want to stay here?"  
  
"That isn't-"  
  
"Do you really think we're that bad, that you don't want to –"  
  
"Draco Malfoy!" she snapped, her temper besting her. He stopped abruptly and stared at her. "Do you know that you have the most annoying habit of jumping to the absolutely wrong conclusion, and then yammering away about it without giving me a chance to speak?"  
  
"Are you saying that you want to stay here, then?" She closed her eyes and counted backwards from ten.  
  
"If you'd have given me a chance to explain myself, you would have heard me tell you that I didn't want to be a burden to your family. The three of you have already extended your good graces further than I'd ever imagined you would, and me staying with you would be overstaying my welcome."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous! Father wouldn't have offered if that were the case, and you know it."  
  
"It would be a welcome change, wouldn't it?" she laughed. "And after what you've shown me tonight, I have no doubt where I'd spend the majority of my time." His face fell a bit, and she noticed. "What did I say?"  
  
"Well, I was rather hoping that you'd say you'd stay because of something other than the paintings."  
  
"Like what?" she frowned. He lifted cool silver eyes to meet her warm sienna gaze.  
  
"Like me." Her breath caught in her throat.  
  
"Does that mean you wish me to stay?"  
  
"It does." His voice was totally sincere, without the slightest trace of amusement, and it surprised her.  
  
"I'll stay, then." 


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
  
"Well, now that that's settled," Draco said, feeling pleased. She smiled. "Will you be needing to go back to your flat to get some of your things?"  
  
"Yes," she said, rising from her chair. "How much do you think I should bring back with me?"  
  
"You mean, how long do I want you to stay here?" he corrected her, grinning cheekily. She laughed.  
  
"If you want to take it that way, fine. How long do you want me to stay here, oh Master Malfoy, so that I know exactly how many articles of clothing to bring with me?" His grin faded and was replaced by a look that made her heart speed up inexplicably.  
  
"At least enough for a week." Her eyes widened.  
  
"That long?"  
  
"Not acceptable? All right, then, enough for a month." Her mouth dropped open.  
  
"Draco, do you realize what you're saying?" He frowned.  
  
"Still not good enough? Merlin, Weasley, you drive a hard bargain, but okay. Forever, then. I'll just go and tell my parents that you're moving in permanently..." she reached out and slugged his arm gently, and he laughed.  
  
"Now that you've taken the mickey out of me, really, how much do you think I should bring with me?"  
  
"At least a month's worth."  
  
"But a minute ago, you said a week's worth."  
  
"I've upped my price. A month's worth, take it or leave it." She laughed and shook her head.  
  
"And if you tire of me before the month is out?"  
  
"Then I shall send you packing, back to Potter and his band of unwashed miscreants." She burst into peals of laughter, at which point his Father peeked into the room.  
  
"Is everything quite all right in here?"  
  
"Yes, Father," Draco laughed. "Everything is fine. Ginny has decided to stay with us."  
  
"Excellent," his father said, grinning broadly. "For how long?"  
  
"I've convinced her to stay for at least a month," Draco said. Ginny felt the blush rising in her cheeks as Lucius smiled knowingly at her.  
  
"You're welcome to stay longer, child." With that, he disappeared around the corner again. Ginny looked at Draco with something akin to wonder.  
  
"Your parents are amazing."  
  
"Tell me something I don't know."  
  
"You're amazing."  
  
"Again, tell me something I don't know." Ginny poked her tongue out at him, and he chuckled. "Let's go and fetch your things, so we can get back here and I can have my nightly cup of chocolate." He paused and turned to look at her. "Scratch that, I want you to make me some of your chocolate."  
  
"Aha! I knew it! This is the catch. You're going to turn me into your personal house elf while I'm here, aren't you?" her eyes sparkled with laughter, and he let his sparkle back.  
  
"Get off of your arse, Weasley, and let's get your things so I can have my chocolate!" She stood and followed him into the hallway.  
  
"You are an utterly spoiled man, do you know that?"  
  
"As if there were any other way to be." She laughed and stepped into the fireplace. She had barely moved out of the way in her flat when he emerged, covered in soot. She snorted with laughter as he wrinkled his nose distastefully. "This isn't funny, Ginny. Look at my hair!" Particles of grey dust marred the perfect white-blonde locks. She giggled again and pulled her wand out.  
  
She moved to stand in front of him and waved her wand, muttering "Scourgify!" The soot was gone from his hair. She looked into his eyes and her laughter faded. By moving in front of him to clean him off, she had placed herself so close that she could feel his warm breath on her mouth. Her lips parted slightly as she stared into his eyes.  
  
"All clean," she murmured. He leaned forward slowly. Their lips were just about to touch when a loud crack sounded, surprising them enough to make them jump apart. Ginny whirled around and was faced with a very surprised, very angry Harry. When he saw Draco, his frown deepened. Ginny stood protectively in front of Draco, not missing the fact that he brought his hands to rest lightly on her hips. Warmth spread through her body in waves from the contact.  
  
"Malfoy," Harry said, his voice clipped. Draco gave him a curt nod.  
  
"Potter." Harry turned to Ginny.  
  
"A word, Ginny?" She didn't move.  
  
"About?"  
  
"Personal business."  
  
"Sorry, Harry," she said, shaking her head. "Draco and I just stopped in to pick up a few things, and then we're going to be off again. Whatever it is that you want is going to have to wait." Draco squeezed her hips gently.  
  
The gesture was not lost on Harry, whose lips stretched into a taut line.  
  
"What are you playing at, Ginny?" he asked softly. Her eyes narrowed into slits.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"What are you doing? I don't understand this sudden change in you. It's like you're a totally different person than the one I used to know."  
  
"That's because I am a different person, Harry. If you ever spoke to me longer than to ask me to fetch something for you, you'd have known that. Now if you don't mind, I promised to make Draco a pot of chocolate, and it's getting late." She wanted to move out of the room to give Harry the hint, but that would mean moving away from Draco's warmth, and that was the last thing she wanted to do.  
  
"We're not giving up on you." The words fell from Harry's lips like chips of ice. She rolled her eyes and broke loose of Draco, turning and stomping into her room to pack. Harry turned to eye Draco, who forced his face to remain expressionless. "So help me, if you've put a spell on her-"  
  
"Oh, sod off, Potter," Draco said calmly. "The girl does what she wants."  
  
"And I suppose you think she wants you?"  
  
"What if she did? Why would it bother you? Aren't you cozy with the Patil girl?" Harry's hands balled into fists at his sides.  
  
"You stay away from her. You stay away from me. And most importantly of all, you stay away from Ginny." Draco smirked at him as he folded his arms across his chest.  
  
"And if I don't, Potter? What will you do then? Go home and cry about it?"  
  
"She's not going to give you any information, Malfoy. She's been banned from the meetings."  
  
"She told me as much." Harry's jaw drooped slightly.  
  
"And you're still here?"  
  
"And I'm still here," Draco answered, raising his eyebrows. "You know, with the way your little band of outcasts treats her, it's a wonder she and I haven't become friends sooner."  
  
"Friends?" Harry snorted derisively. "As if you knew what that word really meant! Friends are more than people you pump for information."  
  
"And maybe we're more than friends," Draco's voice was low and dangerous.  
  
Ginny walked in just in time to see Harry's fist colliding with Draco's jaw.  
  
She ran to Draco's side, lifting his chin to inspect the damage, then turned to Harry. "Get out. Get out, and never come back. I never want to see you again, Harry Potter."  
  
"But Gin, he-"  
  
"I don't care what happened, you struck my friend inside my flat! Get out! Go try to run Padma or Parvati or whoever else's life, and leave mine the bloody hell alone!" She turned back to Draco, who was working his jaw back and forth. He smiled malevolently at Harry over the top of Ginny's head. It was too much for Harry, who disappeared instantly.  
  
"I provoked him," he said, grinning. Ginny smiled.  
  
"I know."  
  
"And you still kicked him out?"  
  
"It's been a long time coming." She shrugged and pressed her fingertips gently to his jaw, eliciting a wince from him. She raised her wand and murmured a healing charm. The purpling stopped and faded, but the pain was still there. "I know it still hurts; I'll get you a pain potion from the medicine cabinet."  
  
"Thanks." He watched her leave, then come back with a small stoppered vial. As he lifted the vial to his lips, the sleeve of his shirt moved, and the Dark Mark was visible on his left arm. He saw her looking at it and downed the potion. She took the empty vial and met his eyes.  
  
"Did it hurt?" Of all the things she could have said, could have asked, this was the most surprising.  
  
"Like hell." She smiled.  
  
"I've packed everything. Are you ready?" It was too much. Her gentle acceptance of the Mark, her defending him to Potter, her warm smiles. It was too much to bear any longer; he'd reached his breaking point.  
  
He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. When she didn't pull away from him, he plunged his hands into her hair and pulled her closer, teasing her lips apart with his tongue. She made a tiny mewling noise inside the kiss, and he pulled away slowly.  
  
"Oh," she breathed raggedly. He dropped his hands to his sides as though he'd been burnt. What had he been thinking? She hadn't given off any signals that she'd wanted him to-  
  
His thoughts were abruptly forced from his head as her mouth descended on his.  
  
Several moments later the kiss was broken as they pulled apart. They were both breathing raggedly, staring at each other. Draco was the first to break the silence.  
  
"This changes everything, you know." She nodded.  
  
"I know. Does it bother you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Does it bother you enough to make you change your mind about me staying at the Manor?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, then- I believe I promised someone a pot of chocolate." 


	13. Chapter 13

Narcissa and Lucius had already retired to their bedroom when Draco and Ginny returned to the Manor. When Draco showed her the bedroom that was to be hers during her stay there, she tried not to look too impressed. She was sure she had failed miserably at it, too.

She placed her suitcase gingerly on the floor beside an oak writing desk and stared at her opulent surroundings. The four-poster bed had a canopy above it, and curtains were tied back at the head of the bed. The floor was carpeted with the same rich golden tones that the hallways had been covered in, and matching heavy curtains hung at the window. A small leather chair rested in the corner of the room, right beside a small end table. She turned and gave Draco an incredulous look.

"I can't sleep here," she said, her voice tinged with awe. He gave her a somewhat annoyed look.

"Why not?"

"I'd be too afraid that I'd damage something, or get it dirty," she said, shaking her head. She moved forward and lightly touched her fingertips to the satiny bedspread, not noticing his smirk.

"Be that as it may, this is your room for the next month or so, so get used to it. Now, who do I have to _Crucio_ to get a pot of chocolate around here?" She turned and smiled at him.

"Show me to your kitchen, and I will gladly make it for you." His cheeks turned pink, and she stifled a giggle. "Please, tell me you know where your own kitchen is, Draco."

"I never needed to get anything there for myself, so why _should_ I know?" he asked defensively. She covered her mouth with her hand to prevent the onslaught of laughter that threatened, and tried to look sympathetic.

"You're absolutely right. Well, perhaps you could call a house elf to show me, then?" He bristled.

"No," he said simply, reaching for her arm and pulling her out into the hallway. "We'll find it; I don't need help from a house elf." He let go of her arm and she followed him through the twisting hallways. After what she estimated to be ten minutes, she caught the scent of vanilla. She stopped and turned to her left, heading down the hallway alone. When Draco noticed that her footsteps had stopped, he turned. She was nowhere to be found.

He retraced his steps and turned down a hallway that he could only remember being in once before, and heard her laughter. His steps quickened and he pushed open a set of large swinging doors, only to find her standing in front of a stove, wielding a large wooden spoon. She turned when he stepped into the room and shot him a heart-stopping grin.

"I think I've found it," she said, gratefully accepting a container of milk from one house elf and several bars of Honeydukes' chocolate from another. He nodded and sat down at a small table.

"So you have." He watched as she patiently melted the chocolate into the heated milk, and then poured some into a cup for him. She sat down beside him and blew into her mug.

Several moments passed in silence while Draco observed her over the rim of his mug. She stared down into the contents of her own cup, wearing a confused expression. His heart did a somersault inside his chest as he realized what she was probably thinking about. Had that kiss been a mistake? He'd been the first one to make a move, but she'd pulled him back for that second breathtaking kiss. Was she regretting it now? Wishing she could take it back?

"Knut for your thoughts," she said softly. He started, then relaxed.

"What?"

"You looked so far away just now," she said, wrapping her slender fingers around the almost empty mug. He tapped the tabletop lightly with his fingertips.

"I was very close, actually," he said coolly. Her cheeks turned slightly pink, which made him smirk. So she _had_ been thinking about him and that kiss, after all.

"Well, thank you for the chocolate," she said, standing. She took her mug to the sink and rinsed it out, eliciting a frown from him. "What?"

"Malfoys don't clean their own mugs," he said. She arched an eyebrow at him.

"Well, seeing as how I'm _not_ a Malfoy, I suppose it's all right then, isn't it?" He eyed her for a moment, and then shrugged as he stood.

"If you want to wash your own dishes like a peasant, that's your own business." She stared after him as he left, wondering why he'd taken such offense to her doing something that was just as good as second nature to her. Surely he hadn't already forgotten whom she was- where she came from?

She wandered around the Manor for almost thirty minutes before she managed to find her room again. When she had changed into her pyjamas (which consisted of an old, over-sized t-shirt that used to belong to Ron and a pair of baggy sweatpants), she crawled under the heavy blankets, and drifted into a heavy sleep.

Draco, for the most part, couldn't figure out why he'd said what he had, either. He rested his forehead against his arms and sighed. He didn't know why he'd taken such offense to her gesture, other than he supposed he'd expected her to come into his home and be served by the house elves just as he was. Of course, she hadn't had house elves in her home growing up, and she just wasn't used to them.

Then again, she'd been waited on by house elves at Hogwarts, hadn't she? He lifted his head and rose from the desk he'd been seated at. Perhaps his discontent had risen from the idea that she might have regretted the kiss they'd shared. He groaned again as he slipped his clothes off. Why had he done such an idiotic thing?

He knew why. Because she'd been so damned accepting, that's why. Even the wives of Death Eaters couldn't stand to see the Dark Mark marring their husbands' skin; and yet she, who had no _real_ connections to him, had accepted it almost without question. She'd known beforehand that he was a Death Eater, but still, she'd asked no questions of him. That was the sort of loyalty his Mother showed to his Father, and it was one of the things he wanted most of all in his own life.

He squeezed his eyes shut tightly as he tossed and turned beneath the silk sheets of his bed. Damn it all to hell, he felt _guilty_ for leaving her to find her own way back to her room! And more than that, he felt desire; yearning- he wanted another kiss. And he wanted to know what she really thought about him.

His eyes flew open as his next thought hit him hard – he _wanted_ Ginny Weasley.


	14. Chapter 14

Ginny awoke to sunlight streaming in her bedroom window. She stretched languidly, enjoying the feel of the satiny sheets against her skin, and smiled to herself. She'd thought that the first morning waking up in a strange home, in a strange bed, would make her feel disoriented, but she didn't feel that way at all. She felt pampered.

She pushed the covers off and rose from the bed. She grabbed some necessary items from the suitcase she hadn't totally unpacked yet and headed towards the bathroom that was attached to her room. After completing her morning libations, she dressed and made her bed. Convinced she'd done a decent job of tidying up her room, she headed out into the hallway.

The delicious smell of bacon wafted through the corridors, leading her to the dining room with little difficulty. When she entered, she found that Narcissa and Lucius were already awake and eating, but Draco was nowhere to be seen. She was struck with sudden shyness. She was used to Draco and his sometimes abrasive personality, but she was not used to his parents. She'd spent time with Narcissa and was comfortable with her, but was uncertain as to how she should act around Lucius.

He looked up and smiled warmly at her, causing her uncertainty to melt away. She smiled back and stepped towards the table.

"Good morning, Ginevra," he said, folding the copy of the _Daily Prophet_ that he'd been reading. "I hope you slept well." She sat near Narcissa, who smiled broadly at her.

"I did," she admitted, nodding. "I think that was the best night of sleep I've ever had, to be honest." She helped herself to some bacon and eggs, and then began buttering a piece of toast.

"I must apologize for Draco's absence," Narcissa said, her brow knitting slightly as she frowned. "It's not like him to miss breakfast." As if on cue, a very rumpled, very groggy looking Draco entered the room and sat down heavily next to his father. "Darling, are you quite all right?" Narcissa asked, concern etched all over her face.

"Fine," he said edgily. "I just didn't sleep very well, is all."

"So," Lucius began, shooting his wife a knowing look across the table. "What plans do you have for today?"

"None," Draco mumbled, reaching for his mug of chocolate. He sniffed it gingerly, and then raised his eyes to look at Ginny for the first time. "Did you make this chocolate?" She blinked.

"No." She watched with great curiosity as he replaced the mug on the table without taking a drink and reached for the carafe of juice instead. Narcissa had to take a bite of toast to hide her smile.

"Any ideas as to what you might be doing? Are you going to go out at all?" Lucius persisted. Draco sighed quietly.

"I will, Father, if you need me to run some errands for you."

"Actually, I don't need anything today," Lucius said, sipping his coffee. He eyed Ginny over the rim, noting how the color rose high in her cheeks every time she snuck a glance at his son. "I was just wondering if you had plans with Ginevra today. I believe your Mother wanted to spend some time with her as well." Draco's eyes shot up to look at his Mother.

"But she just got here," he protested quickly. Narcissa put on her best innocent look, and shrugged gently.

"It doesn't have to be today," she granted. "But at some point, I would like to spend some time alone with her. We have much to discuss."

"Like what?" he asked suspiciously.

"Well, the wedding, for one."

"What's to discuss? She's already selected a dress to wear, and you said that that was the most important thing," he said, spreading a thick layer of jam on a piece of toast.

"I think she needs to be prepared for the reactions of the other people in attendance," Narcissa said gently, smiling at Ginny. Ginny stared down at her half-full plate of food, trying to ignore the unpleasant sensation of her heart jumping around inside her chest. Draco stiffened.

"What do you mean, the reactions of the other guests?"

"Darling," she said soothingly. "You know what the other guests think about her family. She's going to need to know what's coming, so she can be prepared for it."

"What?" he asked shrilly, his face turning slightly pink in his anger. "Surely no one would _dare_ say anything to her while she's with _us!_"

"Not when we are within earshot, certainly not," Narcissa agreed. "But we won't be able to be by her side every moment during the ceremony and reception to defend her, so she's going to have to know how to –"

"I _will_ stay with her," Draco interrupted angrily. Ginny stared at him until he turned his eyes to her. When he caught her staring, she dropped her eyes back to her food, confused. Draco was willing to stand up for her? Why?

"Well, now that that's settled," Lucius said pleasantly. "Perhaps you have in mind something to do today, after all? Perhaps Ginevra would like to continue her tour of the Manor and familiarize herself with it?"

"No, we can do that later," Draco said dismissively. "I think I might take her out on the grounds and show her around the stables." Narcissa and her husband exchanged surprised looks. Draco had never even taken his closest friends out there, but now he was taking Ginny Weasley, a girl he'd hated for most of his life, and barely even knew? Ginny's eyes lit up.

"Stables?" she asked excitedly. The faintest glimmer of a smile began on Draco's face, and he nodded.

"If you want to see them, that is," he offered. She nodded.

"Of course I want to see them," she said. Breakfast was finished in amicable silence, and when Ginny had finished eating, Draco stood.

"Ready, then?" She nodded and rose from her chair, pushing it back in as she followed him from the room. Narcissa turned wide eyes to her husband.

"He's taking her to the stables? Perhaps this is more serious than I'd originally thought, Lucius." Her husband smiled gently at her.

"I thought you liked the girl, Cissa," he said. She nodded.

"I do, Darling, but I must admit that I'm rather surprised at the pace that they seem to be growing close. You remember how Draco cut everyone off and pushed people away after that horrible Greengrass trollop. It just surprises me that this girl has broken through that wall already."

"This girl has something," Lucius said, shaking his head slowly. "You're right. It's amazing that she's managed to do what we've tried and failed at for so long, but Cissa, it's exciting, too. Who would have thought a _Weasley_, of all people, would turn out to be the one? She has so many facets, it's easy to see why Draco is interested. She knows fine art, which we both know is a subject near to his heart. And to think, all of this started with her practicing _Ceromancy._"

"It _is_ exciting, isn't it?" Narcissa agreed, smiling broadly. "It's so good to finally see him truly happy again. Oh, darling! Do you really think she's the one?"

"I didn't think so at first, but my doubts are quickly fading."

"And you don't mind the fact that she's a Weasley?"

"I don't mind it now. The girl has a mind of her own, and seems to have a decent head on her shoulders. At any rate she's been dabbling in the dark arts when her father clearly disapproves of it, which means that she'd be understanding to our family and Draco. She hasn't told Potter or anyone else that I'm actually still in the Manor, and she defended our son to his face, so she can be trusted. The more I learn, the more convinced I am that she would make an excellent addition to this family." Narcissa squealed excitedly and giggled.

"How lovely it would be if they married right away and began having children!"

"Cissa, don't push too fast," he laughed. "They've only begun getting acquainted. I have no doubt that once Draco realizes how very special she is, he'll decide he has to have her. Why, you saw how he reacted this morning when you said you wanted to be alone with her. Whether he knows it or not, he's already protective of the girl. I'd be interested to know what her family is going to say when they hear of the events unfolding here."

"Oh," Narcissa's face fell. "I'd almost forgotten about her family. Is she close to them?"

"To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure. I'd always thought they were a tight knit group, but if she's strayed from the pack…" his voice trailed off, and he shrugged.

"I just hope that Draco doesn't let his insecurities get the best of him, as he has a tendency to do so often as of late," she lamented, rising from her seat.

"No, Cissa," Lucius murmured, rising from his own chair, and wrapping her in a tight embrace. "I believe this girl is just what he needs to bring his confidence back."


	15. Chapter 15

Draco walked Ginny back to her room to fetch her cloak, but when she emerged wearing it, he frowned. "You can't wear that," he said disapprovingly. "It will get filthy out there."

"Well, you threw my old one out, so this is all I've got," she said, annoyed. He sighed, then turned and motioned for her to follow. She tossed the cloak over a chair, closed her door, and hurried to catch up to him. He led her through one winding corridor before reaching a large door with a dragon carved on it. He reached for the doorknob, and then hesitated.

"What's the matter?" she asked, seeing his cheeks flush. He straightened his back before answering her.

"Nothing," he said quietly. He opened the door and stepped inside, motioning for her to follow. As soon as she did, she gasped. She knew she was in his bedroom. It was too opulent, too ornate _not_ to be his. She stood just inside the door, not wanting to encroach too much on his personal space, and watched him go to his closet. He rummaged through it for a moment before he found what he was looking for. Looking triumphant, he pulled out a heavy black cloak with hunter green velvet lining, and handed it to her. She stared at the fabric in her hand, and then looked up at him. He rolled his eyes.

"Well? Put it on, already." She obeyed and wrapped it around her shoulders, enjoying the heavy feel of it encasing her body. He nodded satisfactorily, and then grabbed his own cloak before turning and heading towards the door.

"Surely you can't mean for me to wear _this_ to the stables," she said incredulously, following him into the hallway. He closed his door and turned to her.

"Why not? Isn't it good enough for you?" he snapped. She blinked.

"I don't want to dirty your cloak any more than I wanted to dirty mine," she protested angrily. His face softened a bit.

"It's an old cloak; I was about to throw it out, anyway."

"Throw it out?" she boggled, caressing the velvet with her fingertips. "It's in perfect condition, why would you throw it out?"

"If you like it so much, you can have it," he shrugged. "Keep it in case you ever decide to go back out to the stables again." She followed him outside the Manor and gasped in surprise as the bitter cold wind whipped her hair around her face. Draco was moving quickly, and she was having difficulty keeping him in sight because of the curtain of her hair.

"When we get back to the Manor, I'm chopping this all off," she grumbled to herself, reaching up a hand to push the copper strands away from her eyes. He stopped walking and turned to stare at her. "What?"

"What did you just say?"

"Nothing, I was talking to myself," she snapped. He stared at her for a moment, then shrugged and continued walking. She poked her tongue out at him when his back was turned.

When they reached the stables, Ginny was taken by surprise. The two large buildings didn't look like the typical accommodations used to house horses or any other animal of the like. She followed him through the large wooden door and, once inside, gaped at her surroundings.

Hundreds of cages lined the room, filled with a variety of magical (and non-magical) creatures. She rushed towards the biggest one, which made Draco smile. It pleased him that she took immediate interest in his own pet; the one creature that never failed to entertain him or make him feel better. She knelt in front of the glass cage and watched with growing fascination as the orange and black thing slithered about aimlessly. He squatted beside her, and she felt a wave of heat as his knee brushed hers.

"Ginny Weasley, meet my pet Runespoor." Her eyes widened as the creature heard Draco's voice and moved forward slowly.

"How do you do it?" she asked, amazed. "How have you kept it from ripping off its third head?" He felt an immediate flush of pleasure that she'd obviously done her homework where Runespoors were concerned.

"It doesn't actually take all that much effort," he said, shrugging. "I visit it once a day, and talk to it."

"Have you named the heads, then?" she asked, her eyes still glued to the hissing mouth of the head on the left. Draco grinned.

"Of course I have."

"Well?" she asked, turning to give him an expectant look. He pointed to the far right head.

"That one's Agrippa. The middle one is Uric, and the one on the left is Herpo." She laughed at him.

"Aptly named," she said, turning back to the creature. "So how is it that you've managed to save Herpo just by talking to them?"

"How is it that you know so much about Runespoors?" he asked curiously.

"I was interested in Care of Magical Creatures, and I paid attention," she said simply. He nodded appreciatively.

"I don't know how it works, it just does. They listen to me, and they listen well."

"How did you manage to get one? The Ministry keeps these under lock and key when they find them."

"My Father got it a few years ago from one of his friends," he explained. "He just wanted it for the eggs, so he gave it to me to take care of."

"It's beautiful," she whispered, mesmerized by the creature's movements. He eyed her thoughtfully. He'd only ever told one other person about the Runespoor, and that had been Daphne. She'd immediately expressed her disgust, and he'd never mentioned it around her again.

"Do you want to see the other animals we have?" he asked. She nodded, finally tearing her eyes away from the Runespoor. He stood and extended his hand to help her up. She slipped her delicate hand into his, and he suddenly felt compelled to keep holding it. When she had stood and his fingers were still clasped firmly around hers, she did not try to pull away, which made his stomach turn a quick somersault. He tugged on her hand and inclined his head toward a group of cages along the opposite wall.

She began asking questions about the care of all of the animals in the stables, and he answered easily. The conversation was flowing and he was just beginning to thoroughly enjoy himself when a wrinkled house elf appeared before them.

"Pamby is sorry to bother the young Master, but Master has sent her to fetch you." Draco frowned.

"Why? What is the purpose of this intrusion?" The house elf cowered before Draco.

"The Master, your Father, tells Pamby that you have a visitor." Draco's scowl deepened.

"Whoever it is, tell them to go away. I'm busy. They can come back later."

"The Master thought you might say that, sir. He told Pamby to tell you that the visitor is very important, and can't be sent away."

"Fine, I'll be there shortly," Draco sighed. The house elf disappeared as quickly as it had come, and Ginny wondered who was so important that their visit demanded Draco's immediate attention. He turned to her and gave a rueful smile. "Perhaps we can continue the tour of the stables later?"

She nodded. "That would be nice. I'd like to see the rest of the animals," she said, casting a longing glance at the second wing of the building, the wing they hadn't had a chance to explore. He hid his pleased smile and led her out of the stables, towards the Manor. When they were inside, to Draco's great disappointment, she let go of his hand and turned to go down the corridor that led to her room.

"Wait," he said. She turned and looked at him. "Where are you going?"

"You have a guest," she said, frowning slightly. "So I'm leaving you to your visitor, and going back to my room." He stared at her.

Didn't she care who was visiting him? Wasn't she curious? What if it was another woman? He silently berated himself for that last thought. Why _should_ she care? He shrugged.

"See you later, then," he said coolly. When he had disappeared around a corner, she turned and went back to her room, shutting the door behind her. Why had he looked at her that way? And why had he held her hand? Why had she liked it so much? She puzzled. She removed the cloak he'd given her and pressed the velvet of the neck to her nose, inhaling deeply. It smelled like him. She folded the material gently and laid it atop a brocaded chair, then headed towards the bathroom to bathe.

Draco was puzzling over some things as well. He wondered why he had kept hold of her hand for so long, why she hadn't pulled away sooner, and why he'd felt so strange when she had finally let go of him. All of these things and more swam through his head as he went into the parlor where guests were received.

"Draco!" He stopped dead in his tracks as the woman rushed to greet him with a hug. When he did not return her embrace, she pulled away and wrinkled her nose. "Why do you smell as though you've just been working the manure pile of a stable?"

He rolled his eyes and glared at her. "Because I've just come back from the stables. And what, may I ask, has suddenly made me worthy of a visit from my ex-best friend's wife?"


	16. Chapter 16

Daphne pouted playfully at him.

"Apparently you haven't heard the news, Draco darling," she cooed, sitting down on a plush loveseat and crossing her legs. Her skirt moved to expose a pale knee, and Draco folded his arms over his chest. Let her try and tempt him with all the flesh she had, it wouldn't work. Her betrayal, and that of his closest friend, Marcus, stung too much to forget.

"What news?" he asked, sounding bored.

"The news that Marcus and I have divorced." Draco digested this bit of information without so much as batting an eyelash at her. They'd only been married since June, and now it was November. _Short marriage,_ he thought bitterly, _for a couple who were so enamored of each other that they conspired to be together behind my back._

"Again, I'm forced to ask you what has prompted this visit to me. What is it that you want, exactly?" Daphne's lips turned into that trademark pout that Draco had once thought absolutely adorable. Now, though, he found that instead of bringing that little tingle to his stomach, all it did was make his breakfast want to resurface.

"I thought you'd be happier to see me," she said, her voice taking on the slightest annoyed note. "Besides, what makes you think I want anything?"

"You never come to see me without asking for something," he snapped, his anger finally getting the best of him. "Now get to the point of your visit, before I have you thrown out."

"I can't believe this," she said, her eyes widening. "I can't believe you're treating me this way! Draco, I've done nothing wrong, so you have no excuse for this sort of behavior towards me!" Draco snorted.

"You've done nothing wrong?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Well, I suppose you had to tell yourself _something_ to help you sleep at night," he said scathingly. She stared at him, then narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

"You don't have feelings for me anymore, is that it? Is it because of what happened with Marcus?"

"This is really getting old, you know," he said, pretending to stifle a yawn with the back of his hand. Daphne was flabbergasted. She knew that Draco could be a cruel, heartless bastard when he wanted to be, but she'd never thought to have him show that facet of his personality to _her_. He'd loved her once, she knew that; she'd come to visit him today counting on that love to still be in tact.

It was becoming very clear to her that she had been terribly mistaken in assuming that he'd cared enough for her to forget what she'd done to him.

She stood and took a step forward, and when he took a step backward, she stopped. "You should know that what happened wasn't entirely my fault," she said, aggravation threaded through her voice. "Marcus had a good deal to do with it, too."

"I know," he said simply.

"He told me you had a crush on me. We'd been dating secretly for months by that time, you know. He asked me to sleep with you as a favor- a sort of graduation gift from us to you."

"How thoughtful of you both," he snarled, his eyes hardening. She flinched.

"I wasn't sure about it at first, but he talked me into it. And that night, you were so nervous, it was endearing," she said, a wistful smile crossing her face. The smile faded as quickly as it had come when she saw that Draco's hardened expression had not softened. She pursed her lips as she spoke. "You certainly didn't put up a fight, at any rate."

"Who would?" he asked, his words clipped. "I think that you've found that any man would take a willing woman to his bed, whether he cared for her or not, haven't you?" Daphne's cheeks turned crimson, and her hands balled into fists at her sides.

"How _dare_ you!" She moved as if to strike him, but he caught her wrist in his hand.

"Don't ever try this again," he said coldly, dropping her hand. "You will not be so well received the next time you come to my home, do you understand?"

"I haven't even gotten to the point of my visit," she hissed, taking a step backwards. "The rumor mill is always turning, Draco Malfoy, and you well know it. Aren't you interested to know what's being said about you now?"

"Not particularly, no," he said, turning his back. He took a step towards the door. "You can find your way out, I'm sure."

"It involves Ginny Weasley!" she said quickly. She knew she'd struck a nerve when his steps halted and he turned slowly to face her. He folded his arms across his chest slowly and stared at her with his cold silver eyes.

"Out with it, before I lose my patience with you and throw you out myself."

"I heard that Ginny Weasley was staying here," she said, looking around as if looking for Ginny. "And I just came to verify the truth for myself."

"You've no business knowing who stays here or who doesn't," he said calmly, his expression unwavering. She stared.

"She's here, isn't she?" Her voice was filled with amazement. "Oh my God, she's actually _here!_ Do your parents know? What does your father think about all of this? And your mother? Dear Merlin, Draco, do you know what having that girl here will do to your reputation? She's at the bottom of the food chain! She's part of the nastiest, most Dumbledore-loyal family in the _world_! How could you?"

"Is that all you have to say?" he asked. "Because if it is, I assure you, I was already quite aware of those rumors."

"There's more," she said, sticking her chin out proudly. "Potter and his friends, including her brother, have been out looking for her for the last few hours. They're bound to come here and find her, and take her away." Draco stiffened, and Daphne felt a wave of triumph.

"Get out," he said, his voice low and dangerous. She blinked in surprise.

"What? Draco, you must listen to me, I-"

"Get out," he said, with more force this time. "I can't believe I listened to your traitorous babble this long, and I won't stand for it a moment longer. Get out, Greengrass. I mean it."

"Draco, please! Listen to reason! That girl is going to be like a plague to your house! She's-" her protesting was silenced when Draco raised his wand and muttered _"Silencio!"_

"I told you. Get out." With that, he rang for a house elf. "Escort this whore out of my home, and make sure the proper wards are put up so she can't get back in." Daphne's mouth moved silently, and Draco smirked as he made out several curse words. He waited until he knew she was gone, then turned and headed towards Ginny's room.

Ginny stood under the hot spray of the shower and closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling of the water gently pelting her skin. She sighed softly and a slow smile spread across her face. Draco had been holding her hand in the stables! She turned the water off and opened the shower door, reaching for one of the fluffy white towels that hung on the towel rack. She wrapped it around herself and stepped out of the shower.

She was confused about Draco's behavior, but she couldn't stop the happy, nervous bubbles that were floating around in her stomach. No boy had paid this much attention to her since she'd broken things off with Seamus in her seventh year, and it was somewhat exhilarating. It was confusing, though, because she wasn't sure _why_ he was doing it.

She didn't want him to pay attention to her just because she was staying there. She stopped toweling her hair off and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Did she want Draco to have feelings for her? She didn't know. Maybe yes, maybe no… she'd have to give the matter more thought. She shook her head, trying to shake the thought away, but she couldn't rid herself of it.

She pulled her clothes on slowly as she thought about it. Draco was handsome, there was no question about that. She'd thought that he was even before they'd begun speaking- only he was so much more attractive when he wasn't being a complete prat. She smiled to herself. He was interested in animals, which piqued her curiosity. How many other things did she not know about him? How many other facets were there to his personality?

He'd been nothing but the perfect gentleman to her since he'd lost the bet. She had to admit that she was surprised at this. She'd expected him to be the epitome of a sore loser, especially from his reactions to lost Quidditch matches – but she'd seen nothing of the sort from him. He'd accepted that he was wrong and seemed to be honoring his end of the bargain.

She wandered out into her bedroom and began rummaging through her suitcase for a pair of socks. She was curious to know who his visitor had been, and why they'd been so important that the terrified house elf had insisted on his coming back to receive them. Briefly the thought had entered her mind that it might have been a girlfriend of his, but she dismissed the thought immediately.

He wouldn't be interested in her, after all – at least, not that way. She was a filthy Weasley, and below him. He'd never even consider dating her. She frowned at this thought, feeling oddly disappointed. What had that kiss been about, then? And why had he allowed her to kiss him back?

_Experimentation_, she thought_. That must have been all it was. He was slumming and just wanted to know what it felt like_. She sighed dejectedly and pulled the socks from her suitcase, then sat down on the edge of her bed. Tears sprung to her eyes unbidden as she pulled the socks on, and she hugged her knees to her chest. How was it that she'd been able to block out emotion for so long, and all it took to reduce her to tears was the thought that Draco couldn't possibly be interested in her romantically? She'd known he wouldn't before this began, and she'd told him as much. So why was this thought making her feel so wretched now? She was so involved in her tears and her own thoughts that she failed to hear the soft knocking at her door, and the squeak of the hinges as it opened.

Draco stood just inside the doorway, frozen to the spot. He could hear her quiet sobs, and from where he stood, he could see her shoulders shaking from the force of them. He shifted uneasily. He had seen his mother cry before, and he had seen Pansy cry plenty of times, but he didn't know what to do or say to Ginny to make her stop. All he knew was that he didn't like seeing her cry like this.

He took a tentative step forward, then another, and another, until he was standing in front of her. He lowered himself gently onto the bed beside her and wrapped an uncertain arm around her shoulders. He was taken by surprise when she leaned into him and began crying harder.

They stayed that way for several moments, and Draco thought he finally understood where the old saying "a shoulder to cry on" originated. He squeezed her shoulder gently with his hand, and she looked up, mortified. She pulled away quickly and stood with her back to him.

"Oh, sweet Merlin," she said, brushing the moisture away from her eyes angrily. "I'm sorry, Draco. I know you must be thinking I'm crazy, crying over nothing." He frowned. She was still upset over whatever it was that she'd been crying about; he could hear it in her trembling voice. Did she not think him worthy of crying on? Or did she think he was too stupid to understand what she was crying about? He stood, his pride wounded, and walked stiffly to the door.

"Wait!" she said. He stopped and turned slowly, his anger melting away when he saw her tear-stained face. Something else he couldn't identify began to fill him and take over; something that made him tingle, down to the very tips of his fingers. She looked utterly vulnerable at that moment, and something about the way she was looking at him was almost… _pleading_.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly. She nodded, tucking a strand of copper hair behind her ear as she did. The motion was a habit for her, but for some reason, it set him on fire. There was nothing he wanted more in that moment than to crush his lips to hers and kiss all of her pain away. Instead, he stood stiffly at the door, confused by the urge to touch her.

"I'm fine, really," she lied, turning and going into the bathroom in search of some tissues. She returned moments later, looking as though she'd calmed down a bit. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I guess it's the weather." His brow knitted together again. Was she getting homesick? His heart leapt around inside his chest, making him feel sick. Would she want to be found by her brother, after all?

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No, I'll be fine, really I will," she asserted. He nodded. "Did you want something?"

"No, why would I want something?" She looked confused.

"I just thought that since you came to my room, maybe something was wrong, or you needed something."

"I was just coming to see if you'd made it back to your room okay," he lied. She nodded slowly.

"I found it." They stared at each other for a long moment, and then he cleared his throat.

"I see. Well, I'll be getting back to my room now, and leave you alone, then." He'd made it halfway down the corridor when she rushed out and called after him.

"Wait!" He spun around so quickly that she wondered for a fleeting moment if he hadn't been waiting for her to come after him.

"What is it?" he asked, closing the distance between them quickly with his long strides.

"Maybe if you don't have anything better to do later on, you might be up for a game of Wizard's Chess, or something?" she asked, fidgeting nervously. He eyed her thoughtfully.

"You know how to play?"

"Of course I do," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "My brothers forced me to play when they were bored."

"And now you're forcing me, is that it?" he asked, amused. Her cheeks turned pink.

"I didn't mean it like that. You don't have to play, you know. I just thought that if you were bored, it might be something to do to pass the time." She turned and went into her room, and he followed her.

"Let's play now, then," he suggested. She whirled around to face him, and he shrugged. "I don't have any other plans. I've got time to beat you in a game or two." She snorted.

"You're awfully sure of yourself, considering the fact that you've never seen me play before."

"I'm good," he said simply.

"Maybe not as good as you think," she said, her eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Shall we?" he asked, gesturing towards the door.


	17. Chapter 17

Ginny was turning out to be more of a skilled chess player than Draco had originally taken her for. He'd beaten her in their first game with little effort. She claimed that it had been a warm-up game, and challenged him to a rematch. Three and a half hours later, they were still engrossed in the second game, and for the first time in his life, Draco was seriously considering cheating in order to win at chess.

"We've missed lunch," he said, in an attempt to distract Ginny. She nodded and kept her eyes locked on the game board.

"We have. Are you hungry?"

"No." It was at that moment that his stomach chose to become a Benedict Arnold and growl, eliciting a giggle from his opponent. He could feel his face growing hot.

"We can stop, if you want," she said, leaning back in her chair and relaxing. She moved her neck back and forth, trying to relieve some of the stiffness, but it wasn't working.

"I can keep going as long as you can," he said defensively. He wanted to stop, but he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of being able to say that he was the first one to give way.

She stretched and rubbed her eyes tiredly. Draco watched out of the corner of his eye as she stood and took several steps around the room, trying to relax her stiff muscles. When it became clear that she wasn't going to reclaim her seat, he stood as well.

"So you forfeit, then? I win twice." She gaped at him.

"Oh no, I never said anything about forfeiting, Draco Malfoy!"

"But you got up and never returned to your seat," he reasoned. "You've used up the time for your turn." She snorted.

"We never _had_ a time limit on our turns," she said, laughing. "You're just looking for an easy out, I think." He pretended to look offended.

"Am I? And why would I do that, when I beat you so easily the first game, and am on my way to beating you this game as well?"

"I don't think you're so sure of yourself," she said, her voice thick with laughter. "It's taking you much longer this time to stave me off than it did the first game."

"Are you suggesting that I'm _afraid_ to lose?" he asked.

"No, I'm not suggesting that," she said, shaking her head. "I'm saying it outright." He looked at her in surprise, and she poked her tongue out. Before she could move, he leapt forward and begun tickling her – something very uncharacteristic of him, and so unexpected that he managed to tumble the both of them to the floor. She was giggling so hard that she was having difficulty catching her breath.

"What were you saying, then?" he asked, a wicked gleam in his eyes. She was gasping for breath.

"Mercy! Uncle! I give! I didn't mean it," she managed. Satisfied, he halted his attack on her sides and stood, then reached a hand out to help her up. She eyed it suspiciously, and he rolled his eyes at her.

"A peace offering," he said. "I won't try anything, I swear." She nodded and slipped her hand into his, marveling at the tingling sensation the simple action caused. He tugged on her hand and helped haul her to her feet, where she froze. They were standing closer than they had since the kiss, and it was doing funny things to her. Her palms began to sweat and her knees felt weak, and he was only looking at her.

Draco's breath caught in his throat as she stood there and watched him, and he wondered if he should try kissing her again. He'd already resisted the urge to do it once today, and his will was weakened by it. Could he resist her now that the opportunity had presented itself so gloriously?

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes concentrated on her face as he did so. When she closed her eyes, he knew that she wanted him to kiss her as much as he wanted to do it, and his caution melted. Gently he pressed his lips to hers, savoring their softness. He raised his hands to cup her cheeks, and absentmindedly stroked her smooth cheeks with his thumbs.

He could feel the precise moment that she relaxed into the kiss, because suddenly she became soft and pliant under his touch. He closed the small gap between them and moved his hands away from her face to grip her slender waist and pull her body to his. He could feel her trembling as his tongue sought entrance to her mouth. She parted her lips and a tiny sigh escaped her, encouraging him.

For her part, Ginny felt as though she was being kissed into oblivion, and she didn't mind it one bit. She wasn't able to form a coherent thought while he was this close to her, anyway. Her stomach was full of the happy, nervous bubbles she'd felt earlier, and every part of her body that was in contact with his was burning madly. His kiss deepened, and his arms slid around her, tightening and crushing her against him.

Draco was just about to pull away and ask if she wanted to continue the kiss in his room when he heard the doorknob being turned. He let go of her and stepped away, giving her what he hoped was a promising look. He definitely wanted to continue this later, and he was overwhelmingly annoyed at whomever was at the door, interrupting what was possibly the best snogging he'd ever been party to in his life.

Ginny stared at him dazedly as he composed himself. She caught the look he gave her, which made her stomach lurch pleasantly. When she realized why he'd pulled away, she took a deep breath and tried to fight down the redness she felt rising to her cheeks.

Narcissa stepped into the room, and with one look at her son, realized that she should have knocked first. She pretended not to notice that both of the occupants of the room were flushed and that their eyes were both wide, and moved towards the bookshelf.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, darling," she murmured, scanning the rows intently. "Your Father needed a book, and I'm having trouble locating it. He said it would be in here."

Draco's annoyance faded, and his eyes darted towards Ginny, who was pressing her hands to her enflamed cheeks. He smirked to himself. Why had he been dithering earlier about kissing her? She was attracted to him; there was no denying it now.

"Aha!" his mother cried, pulling a book from the shelf. She moved towards the door, shooting Draco a smile as she did. "Dinner is going to be early tonight, since you and your father will be going out later, so don't be late." She smiled at Ginny, and then disappeared into the hallway, closing the door behind her. Draco frowned. He'd forgotten about the meetings almost completely, and he didn't want to leave now – especially not after they'd kissed like they had. He turned to look at her.

"I forgot that I was going out tonight," he said quietly. His mind was racing. What would happen if Potter and her brother came while he was gone to take her away? Would they convince her to leave with them, as he feared? He knew now that she was attracted to him, but was her attraction strong enough to keep her at the Manor until his return?

She shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I figured you'd be going sooner or later." Half of him was relieved that she wasn't upset, but the other half of him was angry that she was taking his absence so much in stride. Did she really care that little for him?

"I'd stay if I could," he said, an edge to his voice. She blinked.

"Really, it's not that big of a deal. I'm a big girl; I can entertain myself. Your mother is here to talk to if I need someone."

"I meant-" Ginny stared as Draco's expression changed from anger to pain, and he gripped his left forearm. When he met her eyes, she smiled sympathetically.

"It looks like we won't be having dinner together after all," she said quietly. His eyes widened slightly, and he waited for her to ask where he was going. When she didn't open her mouth again, he crossed the room and wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to him.

"I'll make it up to you when I get back," he promised softly. A tingle of anticipation went through her before his lips descended on hers. The kiss had lasted a mere second before he pulled away and disapparated. Ginny stared at the spot where he'd been standing and pressed her fingertips to her lips.

Draco looked over at his father, who smiled brightly before turning back to the front of the room. The tiny room was full to bursting of his fellow Death Eaters, all clad in the same thing- their black hooded robes. Draco waited impatiently for the meeting to begin- he wanted to get back to Ginny and finish what they'd started earlier. He turned when he felt someone's elbow in his ribs.

"Parkinson," he said cordially, giving her a curt nod. She smiled and cocked her head to one side.

"You look different," she said. "Has something happened?" His cheeks began to burn, and he hoped fervently that the lights were dim enough that she couldn't see his blush.

"No," he lied. She arched an eyebrow.

"I heard that Daphne Flint was planning on visiting you. Did she find you?"

"She did, indeed," he said, his voice turning hard. Pansy blinked.

"Well, apparently your romance wasn't rekindled, as she had hoped."

"She told you that was her intent?" he asked curiously, turning to face her. She nodded.

"She came to see me yesterday morning, and had tea with my mother and I. She told me all about her marriage to Marcus, and what they did to you," she blushed as she said this last part. He sighed.

"Must everyone know?" he murmured aloud. "What else did she tell you?"

"Sweet Circe, Draco, how much time do you have?" she asked, sounding exasperated. "She stayed for _hours_, talking only about _you._ I know you and I are close, but come on! I was so tired of hearing your name by the end of the day, it was pathetic!" Draco smirked.

"I remember a time when you would never have grown weary of hearing my name," he said teasingly. She blushed and shook her head.

"That time is long gone, my friend, as you well know. I have other things to occupy my mind."

"Like Zabini?" Pansy blushed deeper, and Draco bumped his shoulder against hers. She smiled.

"What about you? Who's occupying your mind?" she asked, her voice teasing. It was his turn to blush.

"No one of consequence."

"Draco, come on," she pleaded. "You know who I'm involved with, why can't you tell me who you're seeing?"

"Because I'm not seeing anyone."

"You're just using the poor girl for sex, then?" she laughed.

"I'm not having sex with her," he snapped. She blinked in surprise.

"I didn't mean anything by it, Draco. I was just teasing." His face softened.

"I know. I'm sorry. Daphne's visit just rubbed me the wrong way, I suppose."

"So who is she?"

"Who is who?"

"The girl you're not having sex with." He averted his eyes.

"No one."

"What? Draco, if you're interested in her, she has to be someone. Besides, I'd love to know who to thank for restoring you to your old self." He eyed her thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been an insufferable, antisocial git for the longest time, and now all of a sudden you're laughing and teasing the way you used to do. I think I owe this girl a debt of gratitude for returning my friend to me."

"I'll pass it on."

"Come on!" she begged, tugging at the sleeve of his robe. "Please? Pretty please? Draco, come on!" He rolled his eyes and laughed.

"Fine, but you won't believe me."

"Try me," she said, putting her hands on her hips. He met her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Ginny Weasley." Her mouth dropped open and her arms fell to her sides, limp. "See, I told you that you wouldn't believe me!"

"Draco, are you serious?"

"Deadly."

"Does she- I mean, is she-" she struggled to find the right words. He grinned.

"She's staying at the Manor for a month." Pansy's jaw dropped a bit more.

"How did you manage that? Didn't your parents get upset?"

"Mother adores her, and Father seems accepting of her. He's actually the one who asked her if she wanted to stay with us."

"And she accepted?"

"Yes," he said, conveniently omitting the part of the story where he'd told her that he wanted her to stay as well.

"Aren't you afraid Potter and his lackeys will come looking for her and find your father?" she asked, awe in her voice.

"Supposedly they are already looking for her," he said, shrugging. "But when they come, they will see that she's hardly being held against her will."

"And you're not suspicious that she's just doing it to get information out of you or your family?"

"I know she isn't. If she wanted to hurt us, she could have already told Potter about my father. She has actually given us information about him."

"Are you going to try and convert her to-" she gestured around the room at the other Death Eaters, and he shook his head vehemently.

"No," he said. "Originally, yes, but now - no. She can be useful to us without taking the Mark."

"Is she… snooty?" she asked cautiously. He could see the wheels turning in her head, and laughed.

"Why don't you come over tomorrow and find out?" he invited. She smiled.

"You know me too well." She paused thoughtfully for a moment, and then narrowed her eyes at him. "Do you have feelings for her?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I think I do. I mean, maybe." She laughed again.

"You do. You turned down Daphne for her," she cackled gleefully. "Oh, imagine what it would do to poor Daphne's ego to know she was thwarted for a _Weasley!"_


	18. Chapter 18

Ginny wandered into the dining room and took the seat across from Narcissa, who smiled warmly at her.

"The men of the Manor are often gone away on personal business," she explained, unfolding a cloth napkin and spreading it over her lap. "I've never gotten used to taking meals alone, so I can't tell you how good it is to have you here with me." Ginny smiled.

"It's nice to feel welcomed somewhere," she said simply, reaching for her glass. She took a sip of the purplish liquid and coughed. Narcissa smiled.

"I'm sorry, I should have warned you. I had the house elves bring out the wine for us. If the men are gone, I always have wine with dinner. It helps ease my tension." Ginny nodded and composed herself before taking a smaller sip.

"I've only had wine once before," she admitted, licking her lips. "But it's good."

"A little wine with dinner on occasion is a good thing, I think," Narcissa said, smiling broadly. She began eating, and Ginny paused with her fork halfway to her mouth.

"How long do they usually stay gone?" she asked quietly. Narcissa took a drink of her wine before answering.

"It varies. Sometimes they stay gone as long as the whole night, and other times they come back as soon as an hour after they've left. Are you missing my son so soon?"

Ginny blushed scarlet, and Narcissa bit her bottom lip to keep from grinning.

"We were playing chess, and I just wondered if he was going to make it back to finish the game tonight."

"I wouldn't wait up for him, but I wouldn't rule out the possibility, either. Perhaps I would be suitable company, until he returns?" she offered. Ginny nodded and smiled.

"I'd like that."

When Draco and Lucius arrived back at the Manor, all of the lights were out. Draco's heart sank; he'd been hoping that Ginny would be waiting up for him. Lucius offered him a quick goodnight and headed towards the bedroom, and Draco, who was not tired at all, headed towards his own room. He opened the door and went inside, closing it behind him.

He removed his robe and hood and shoved them deep inside his closet, then began removing his clothes. He had just pulled his shirt off when someone knocked on his door. He tossed his shirt across his bed and opened his door, annoyed that he was being bothered again. His annoyance faded when he saw Ginny standing in front of him, holding a tray with a mug, a teapot, and a covered plate. He stepped aside and motioned for her to come in.

When she had entered the room, he shut the door behind her and turned to look at her. Her hair was slightly disheveled and she looked as though she'd been sleeping. She was in her pyjamas, which Draco struggled not to turn his nose up at. He made a mental note to have his mother take her out to buy her some bedclothes, so he could burn the ones she was currently wearing.

"I brought you some chocolate," she said, fighting back a yawn. He raised his eyebrows at the teapot, and she blushed despite her fatigue. "I couldn't find anything else to put it in. I thought you might want something to eat, since you missed dinner."

"Why didn't you just let the house elves bring me something?" he asked curiously. She blushed a deeper red.

"I wanted to tell you that I made the chocolate," she said, feeling stupid. She sat the tray down on his night table and turned to leave. "Good night."

"Wait," he said, reaching out and grabbing her arm. She stared down at her feet. "Thank you." She smiled at him, and his stomach lurched pleasantly. It was a sleepy, sincere smile, and he thought it was possibly the nicest smile he'd ever seen.

"You're welcome. Goodnight." She turned and left, closing the door behind her. He stared after her for a moment, then sat down on the side of the bed and lifted the lid that sat on the plate. She had not fixed him a sandwich, as was the house elves' habit to do on meeting nights. Instead what he had before him was an honest to goodness _meal- _broiled chicken, new potatoes, and several rolls with butter on the side. He stared at the food, dumbfounded.

Did she care so much about him that she would have gone to the trouble of making sure that he got a real dinner? A warm feeling washed over him as he poured chocolate into the mug she'd provided and took a sip. Ginny Weasley was proving to be valuable to him in more ways than he'd ever thought possible.

Ginny awoke to sunlight streaming in through her window. She lay in bed, a slow smile spreading across her face as she thought of what had transpired between she and Draco the day before. She giggled to herself, and then snuggled deeper beneath the coverlet. She had just begun drifting off again when she was startled by a knock on her door.

She flung the coverlet off and ran her fingers through her hair quickly, trying to make it flat, then opened the door. Draco stood before her, perfectly groomed and looking as immaculate as always. He blinked at her.

"I was just coming to see if you were going to come to breakfast," he said, eyeing her pyjamas distastefully. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. "But I can see that you're not, so I'll go." He turned to leave.

"I _am_ coming," she said quickly. He stopped and turned to look at her. "I'll be there as soon as I've changed." He shrugged and headed down the hallway, and she closed the door behind him, feeling like an utter moron. She looked down at her pyjamas and wondered why she'd never thought to buy anything more feminine looking to sleep in.

_Probably because I've never wanted to look feminine when I sleep,_ she reasoned to herself. She searched through her suitcase for something suitable to wear, but came up empty-handed. She turned to the closet, where the clothes that she'd gotten during her shopping trip with Narcissa hung. She only had to rifle through them for a moment to find what she was looking for – simple black trousers and an elegant emerald green silk blouse. Narcissa had insisted on purchasing them for her, saying that the green was a compliment to her copper hair.

After she had taken the quickest shower of her life, she dressed and hurriedly combed her hair. She hurried to the dining room and sat down in her usual seat (how strange to her that she should have a _usual_ seat in the Malfoy household) across from Draco and Narcissa, and helped herself to a piece of toast. Lucius smiled at her.

"I'm sorry I'm late," she said. "I must have overslept."

"Sleep as late as you like," Lucius said, sipping from his mug. "Don't feel as though you must rise early just to eat with us- the house elves will bring your breakfast to your room, if you so choose." Ginny nodded and bit into her toast, unaware that Draco was staring at her.

Narcissa noticed her son's expression and silently congratulated herself for buying the green shirt and flattering slacks for Ginny.

"Incidentally, though, it's a good thing that you did get up early this morning. Draco's just told us that the two of you are going to be having a visitor any moment now," Narcissa said, glancing at the large grandfather clock that sat in a corner of the room. Ginny's eyes widened slightly and she snuck a confused look at Draco, whose eyes were focused on his empty plate.

Before Ginny could open her mouth to ask who was coming, the doorbell sounded throughout the Manor. Draco stood quickly and left the room. Narcissa smiled encouragement at Ginny and motioned for her to follow Draco, which she did uncertainly.

Ginny entered the guest parlor with no small amount of trepidation. She was to meet one of Draco's friends, which did not bode well for her; she knew what they all thought of her and her family. When she saw that his visitor was not one person but two females, her heart sank. She recognized the blonde speaking to Draco as Pansy Parkinson, and fought to disguise her frown of confusion. Draco's face was very red, and he looked as though he was about to explode. Before she could get more than a foot into the room, however, she was accosted by the other female in the room.

"Well, if it isn't little Ginny Weasley," the woman cooed, her voice sickeningly sweet. Draco and Pansy stopped hissing abruptly and looked up and the woman circled Ginny. "And wearing surprisingly new clothes, at that." Ginny felt her temper spike.

"And you are?" she forced through clenched teeth. The woman tossed her shiny chocolate hair behind her shoulder and eyed Ginny appraisingly.

"Daphne Greengrass Flint," she said, sticking her nose in the air. Ginny stiffened.

"I remember you now," she said simply. Pansy and Draco exchanged curious glances. Pansy stepped forward and extended her hand.

"I think you remember me, too," Pansy said, smiling. Ginny shook her hand slowly, and then gave her a cautious smile.

"Yes, I remember you, too." Draco wondered how Ginny could maintain her calm so well around two of the wiliest females that Slytherin had ever seen- especially since their reputations as such surely preceded them. He motioned for the women to sit down, and watched as Ginny waited for Pansy and Daphne to situate themselves on the sofa before taking a seat in the large armchair across from them. Draco surprised all three of the women by lounging on the arm of the chair that Ginny was sitting in. He stared expectantly at Pansy, who caught his eye and cleared her throat.

"Well, Ginny, it's been a while since Hogwarts, so when Draco told me that you were staying with him, I thought I'd come by and introduce myself." Ginny nodded.

"It has been a while," she agreed. Daphne rolled her eyes, and Ginny noticed that Draco visibly tensed up when she did. "Have you been doing anything interesting?" Daphne snorted.

"And pray tell, what do _you_ consider interesting? Because as far as I'm concerned, I don't enjoy cooking or cleaning like a house elf." Ginny wondered briefly if Draco had told the other two women that she made her own bed in the morning, or that she made him chocolate, but quickly decided against it for reasons she couldn't explain. She gave Daphne a sickeningly sweet smile.

"And as far as I'm concerned, I agree, since it's highly likely that you don't even know how to do either of those things, anyway." Pansy looked surprised for a moment, and then stifled a giggle with her hand. Draco's stiffness melted, and he smirked at Daphne, whose glare was shooting daggers at Pansy.

"Draco, are you going to sit there and let her speak to one of your guests like that?" Daphne asked. Draco arched an eyebrow.

"In case you hadn't noticed, Mrs. Flint," he said caustically. "Ginny is a guest here as well. And a welcome one, at that, as opposed to you, who happens to be tagging along behind Pansy." Pansy stuffed her fist into her mouth, and Ginny smiled at her as she shook with silent laughter. Daphne was turning a nasty shade of purple.

"I'm perfectly within my rights being here," she said defensively. "I'm a guest of Pansy's, and she told me I could come with her while she ran errands."

"As I recall, I threw you out yesterday and told you not to return." Ginny blinked in surprise. Daphne saw her confusion and pounced on it like a cat on a wounded bird.

"What's the matter, Ginny? Didn't ickle Drakie poo tell you who he left you to come and visit with?" Draco stood angrily. "Didn't he ever tell you that during our time at Hogwarts, he was in love with me? I was even his first, you know." Pansy's head snapped up.

"Daphne!" she exclaimed in horror. "That's hardly proper conversational matter!" Daphne stood and pouted playfully at Draco, who was glowering at her.

"But she has a right to know, hasn't she, Draco? Doesn't she have a right to know that you could never harbor feelings for someone like her, someone of such low birth? Really, Draco, if you wanted to go slumming…" her voice trailed off as she shrugged. No one noticed the impact the word had on Ginny, who had thought the very same thing just the night before.

"Out!" Draco said, his voice low and dangerous. "Now, before I have time to reach my wand." Ruthless, cold, and cruel when angry, Draco was not one to be trifled with, and Pansy knew it. She stood and shoved Daphne towards the door, shooting an apologetic look at Ginny.

"I'll be in touch, Draco," she called, tugging a protesting Daphne behind her. Once they had gone, Draco turned to Ginny, noting her slumped shoulders and faraway look.

She felt his eyes on her and looked up at him, forcing a smile as she stood. "Well, Pansy looks like life has been treating her well." Draco stared at her.

"It has," he said cautiously. "Look, about what Daphne said-" Ginny held up a hand to stop him.

"It's between the two of you," she said, shaking her head. "It's none of my business, and I know that she said it to agitate me, although I don't know why she thought it would." His jaw dropped slightly.

"What?" She shrugged and headed towards the door.

"It doesn't bother me. I told you the night you came to my flat that I knew you weren't interested in me like that, remember? I'm not stupid enough to delude myself into believing otherwise." She forced another smile at him before disappearing into the hallway, leaving him staring after her.

What was he to say, how was he to respond to that accusation? He wondered. She had said that to him, and he remembered thinking at the time that she was absolutely correct – but now, now things were different. He'd kissed her twice, and he wanted more. She had intrigued him beyond comprehension; she was interesting and kind and honest, but at the same time she could be vindictive and nasty (he remembered just how nasty she could be from an encounter with her during his fifth year at Hogwarts). She had even defended him to Potter for no apparent reason.

Now she had openly told him that she wouldn't believe, _couldn't_ believe, that he was interested in her romantically.

She was starting to piss him off.

He was used to getting what he wanted, providing that what he wanted was within reason. Ginny Weasley was within reason. She should have fallen into his arms, grateful to him for befriending her and showing interest in her welfare, but she hadn't. He tore into the hallway and sprinted towards her room, his anger fueling him on.

When he reached her door, he turned the knob and entered without knocking or otherwise announcing his presence. She looked startled as he slammed the door behind him and grabbed her arms roughly, his mouth descending on hers with such force that he knew he was bruising her.

He forced her lips apart with his tongue and plundered her mouth savagely, wanting to devour her. A low whimper escaped her, and he pulled away slowly, realizing how much he must have been hurting her. He let go of her arms, which she dropped limply to her sides, and stood staring at her, his chest heaving.

"You're right, you're being stupid," he said, his anger melting into shame at the stunned look in her eyes. "If you think I wouldn't be interested in you, then why have I kissed you three times now?"

"You were experimenting," she said evenly.

"Then why did you kiss me back?" Her cheeks turned crimson, but she refused to look away.

"Because I wanted to." He hesitated only a moment before lowering his lips to hers. At first the kiss was so soft that she wasn't even sure he _was_ kissing her, but then she felt his tongue sweeping lightly across her bottom lip. She parted her lips for him and raised her arms to encircle his neck as his hands roamed up and down her back gently.

She was drowning in him. His scent pervaded her nostrils; he smelled of soap and the subtle cologne that he almost always wore. His warm hands were all over her back, touching and caressing lightly, and leaving her wanting more. His hard chest was pressed against her soft curves so closely that she wasn't sure where he ended and she began.

He was kissing her so thoroughly that her legs were beginning to feel weak and wobbly. When her knees were about to buckle, he stopped kissing her and pulled away slightly, leaving her breathing erratically and aching for more than his kisses. He licked his lips and stared at her with dilated pupils.

"I'm through experimenting," he said softly, watching her carefully. "Are we clear on that?" She nodded and looked down, trying to catch her breath. He slipped a finger beneath her chin and forced it up so he could look into her eyes before his lips brushed hers again lightly. He repeated the kiss several times before stopping to look at her.

"Why did you do that?" she whispered, confusion etched all over her face.

"I'm interested." Her eyes widened, but before she could speak again, his mouth had covered hers in another consuming kiss.


	19. Chapter 19

When Ginny pulled away, she was breathless. She stared at Draco, neither of them moving for several long moments – neither of them wanted to be the first to move away. Finally Ginny broke the silence.

"Why would you be interested in me?" she asked cautiously.

"Because you make the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted." She laughed, and he grinned at her.

"You know, that wouldn't be half so funny if I didn't actually _believe_ you." Her sienna eyes sparkled madly at him as she spoke. His smile faded as he leaned in for another tender kiss. When he pulled away, he grinned – her eyes were still closed.

"Oh," she whispered, opening her eyes and pressing her fingertips to her lips. He saw (with no small amount of satisfaction) that she was trembling.

"Are you cold?" he asked, knowing full well that she was not trembling due to the temperature of the room. He knew because he was trembling, too. She smiled shyly at him and shook her head.

"No," she said, feeling embarrassed. How could she explain that she was trembling because he kept kissing her like that? She couldn't, for fear that he'd think her nothing more than a silly schoolgirl with a crush. Her cheeks flushed at the thought.

"I hope I haven't overstepped my bounds or made you uncomfortable," he said quietly, misinterpreting her blush. She shook her head quickly.

"No!" she breathed. "No, you haven't. I wouldn't have let you kiss me if-" her voice died, and this time he laughed at her blush.

"If you hadn't wanted me to?" he offered. She nodded, her face burning. She gave him a weak smile, and he smiled back. "That's okay – you shouldn't be embarrassed by your honesty. It's nice to find someone who isn't constantly playing games."

"Speaking of playing games," she began, a teasing note in her voice. "We haven't finished the one we started yesterday." He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Are you that eager to be beaten again?"

"Big talk from someone who tried to get me to forfeit my turn due to an imaginary time limit," she laughed. He grinned.

"I'll play if you'll make a pot of chocolate to drink during the game." She sighed melodramatically.

"I knew it. I'm being turned into your personal house elf." He laughed, and she admired the way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he did. He saw her expression change and wondered at it.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, giving him the softest of smiles. His stomach did several somersaults. "I just noticed that you have a really nice smile, is all." The warmth rose in his cheeks and his breath caught in his throat.

"I like yours, too." He reached for her hand, and then threaded his fingers through hers. "Now, how about that chocolate?"

"Where _is_ she?" Ron asked angrily, kicking the ground in frustration. Hermione shot him a sympathetic look and put her hand on his shoulder, hiding her hurt expression when he shrugged it off.

"I'm sure Harry will find her," she said quietly. Ron frowned and stared off into the distance. Hermione was frightened. She'd never seen Ron so worried before. He jumped, startled, when Harry strode into the room, and looked hopefully at his friend.

Hermione knew it was going to be bad news when Harry took a deep, steadying breath before speaking.

"I'm sorry Ron, I didn't find her." Ron swore under his breath. "Look, we've been looking all day, and we're all tired, so why don't we take a break to relax and get something to eat? I still have a ton of things I need to get done for the Order, and I'll never get to bed tonight if I don't finish them all." Ron stared at Harry as though he'd just sprouted a second head.

"Take a break? _Take a break?"_ he shrieked, his ears turning purple. "I'm not taking any bloody breaks! I want to find my sister! How can you just dismiss her like she doesn't matter, Harry? You need to do some things for the Order that are more important than my _sister?_"

"Ron, Harry's right. We just need a short break, to take care of some other things, and then we'll start looking for her again," Hermione said, glancing down at her wristwatch. "It's almost seven o'clock, and we haven't done anything else all day except look for Ginny." Ron glared at her.

"Ginny is supposed to be your friend, Hermione. Don't you care about finding her, either?"

"Of course I care about finding her, Ron! I just think we need to focus on some other things for a bit, and after we've regrouped, we can look some more. Besides, Ginny is a big girl, and she can take care of herself." Ron gaped at her, his jaw hanging open.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," he boggled, looking between them. "Harry wants to stop looking and run errands, and you're complaining because we've been looking all day?" Hermione sighed and tried to look sympathetic, even though Harry could tell by the way that she was standing that she was getting annoyed.

"Ron, you're blowing this all out of proportion! You didn't see how she blew me off for Malfoy when I went to talk to her. She was _happy_ that he was there! She doesn't _want_ us to find her, or we _would_ have found her by now."

"The last time I saw her, she was telling me that she never wanted to see me again, and Malfoy was there, laughing at me," Harry offered, nodding at Hermione.

"See, Ron? Harry was right to have banned her from the Order meetings. Who knows what she's telling Malfoy, even as we speak!"

"You know what? I'm fed up with you always taking Harry's side when you're supposed to be on _mine_." Hermione looked stricken. "And I can't believe that the two of you are here trying to convince me to give up on my _sister_."

"I only meant that-" He cut her off by holding up his hand.

"I don't want to hear it. This-" he gestured between them. "Isn't working for me anymore."

"What?" she gasped. Harry's mouth fell open.

"Ron, you can't mean that!" Harry said disbelievingly.

"I know what I mean. I'd like my ring back, Hermione." He held his hand out, palm up. Tears filled her eyes as she removed the sparkling diamond ring and dropped it into his hand. She gave him one last pleading look, then ran from the room, sobbing. Harry gaped at his best friend of ten years.

"What in the bloody hell are you doing?" he asked. Ron glared icily at him.

"I'm going to go and find my sister. And you had better hope, Harry Potter, that I find her, and that she's all right. Because if she's not, and I find out that it's because of _you_, you'll regret it."

"She's been talking to Malfoy, Ron! There's no telling what he's poisoned her mind with!" Harry protested angrily. Ron snorted.

"My sister has a mind of her own. She won't let Malfoy influence her."

"Just like she didn't let Tom Riddle influence her?" Harry blurted. The moment the words were out, he wished he could take them back. Why had he said that? He was starting to sound like Snape. Ron's face hardened.

"I think we both know whose fault that was," Ron said, his words clipped. Harry's mouth dropped open.

"I _know_ you aren't blaming me," he said, pointing to himself.

"Didn't she start writing because of you? She told me that all she wrote about in that stupid diary was _you_."

"It's not my fault," Harry growled.

"Of course not," Ron said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Nothing is ever the great Harry Potter's fault, is it?"

"She fell victim to Voldemort because she was being ignored on _all_ fronts, Ron, not just by me!"

"A mistake I don't intend to repeat." Ron turned and strode towards the door.

"You're not thinking straight," Harry called after him. "Ron, wait!" But Ron was already gone. Harry removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering why the Gods thought it was so funny to torture him.


	20. Chapter 20

Ron pulled his threadbare cloak tighter around his shoulders, shivering as a particularly biting gust of wind hit him. He was still fuming – Harry and Hermione had just as good as turned their backs on him when they had turned their backs on his sister. They _knew_ how important Ginny was to him!

He ignored the passerby on the crowded streets of Hogsmeade as he walked. The streets were littered with happy families; people smiling and discussing what sort of gifts to buy for each of their relatives. Ron grimaced. Christmas was fast approaching, and he wasn't looking forward to it. For that matter, Thanksgiving was just around the corner, being only days away, and he didn't want to think about that, either.

Percy had deserted the family long ago, choosing to lose himself in his work. Charlie was still in Romania, but he had his new wife to keep him company. Bill was busy raising his son alone, since his girlfriend had run off with another man after deciding she didn't want children after all. Fred and George had moved to America to establish a chain of Wizarding joke shops there. Essentially, all Ron had left of his family were his parents and Ginny. For Harry and Hermione to just let her go like that… he shook his head and bit his bottom lip hard.

It was his fault, somehow. He just knew it was. He'd been overly preoccupied with Hermione and their wedding these last few weeks, when he should have been paying attention to his sister and spending time with her. How isolated she must feel now that Harry had Padma and he had Hermione. Who did she have? No one. The thought made him frown.

_She might have Malfoy, for all I know._

He stopped stared ahead with empty eyes. _Malfoy!_ Why hadn't they thought to go to the Malfoy home, and look for her there? She hadn't been in any of her usual haunts (her flat, the Burrow, the Three Broomsticks, Quality Quidditch Supplies), so why hadn't they checked _un_usual places? His heart began pounding wildly, and he changed direction, walking with more purpose now.

Would he be allowed into the Manor? Would she even want to see him? His mind raced and he quickened his steps. He just _had_ to see her, he had to! He couldn't stand losing another sibling, especially not since he and Ginny had been so close.

He would do whatever it took to convince her that he still cared about her.

Draco was contemplating his next move when the door to the library opened and Pansy entered. He smiled vaguely at her, then turned his attention back to the chess board. Pansy shot a brilliant smile at Ginny as she pulled a chair up to the small table they were playing on.

"Kicking his ass?" Pansy asked, winking at Ginny. Ginny smiled.

"Worse than he'll admit." Draco looked up and scowled at the women.

"You don't even know each other, and already you're ganging up on me. I don't think I like you two talking. Pansy, leave." Pansy stuck her tongue out at him and Ginny caught her lip between her teeth to keep from smiling.

"You owe me," Pansy said, leaning back in her chair.

"For what?" he murmured, eyeing his pieces.

"For disposing of Daphne." He looked up, the game temporarily forgotten.

"What did you do to her?"

"I don't mean disposing of her like that," she laughed, rolling her eyes at him. "I meant, you owe me for even getting her out of here. She was very… _put out,_ shall we say? After we left here."

"So? You know what happened yesterday, and you brought her here anyway."

"I didn't bring her here willingly!" she said defensively. "She followed me when she found out where I was going!"

"I don't know why she's even bothering to pretend interest in me anymore," he said, closing his eyes and reclining in his chair. Pansy stared at him.

"Oh, would you listen to yourself? Don't sound so pathetic and uninteresting. You know very well how much of a catch you are, Draco Malfoy!" He opened his eyes and smirked at her, then looked at Ginny, who was staring at the chess board with red cheeks.

"You're ignoring Ginny," he pointed out. "Don't be so rude."

"I don't mean to ignore you," Pansy said apologetically. "I just think our friend is being melodramatic. I mean, _you_ can see why she'd be interested in him, right?" Ginny flushed a deeper shade of red.

"Yes," was all she said. Draco leaned forward.

"Well then, out with it, Pans. Why is she so interested in me all of a bloody sudden, when she wasn't when I would have _liked_ her to be?"

"Marcus screwed her in the divorce."

"What? Do go on," he said, his raised eyebrows showing his interest.

"He cut her off without a cent. Apparently when she was signing all of the necessary papers to get their marriage license, she also signed a prenuptial agreement that he'd slipped into the stack of papers." Draco snorted with laughter.

"Didn't anyone ever tell her never to sign anything without _reading_ it first?"

"Apparently she thought Marcus would never do anything like that to her, and she didn't bother reading _anything _she signed. The prenup stated that all possessions that they acquired during the marriage, including wedding gifts, would revert to him if she was ever unfaithful to him."

"Was she?" Ginny asked, getting caught up in the gossip. Pansy nodded mutely.

"With whom?" Draco asked curiously. Pansy arched an eyebrow.

"Marcus' uncle." Draco's face contorted in disgust.

"Please tell me you're taking the mickey out of me."

"I only wish I were," Pansy lamented, shaking her head. "It's too gruesome, isn't it? And the sad thing is that he's not the only one she cheated with."

"She cheated more than once?" Ginny asked, appalled. Pansy nodded.

"From the way I understand things, she'd been sneaking around on him since late July." Draco snorted again and shook his head.

"I'm beginning to think that Marcus did me a favor by giving me the little 'gift' he did. Apparently I got the best of her, without having to marry the stupid bint. Once a cheater, always a cheater." He glanced up quickly to make sure Ginny wasn't watching, and despite the Rook's protests, grabbed the game piece and hid it under the table. Pansy saw him and faked a sudden coughing spell in order to prevent her laughter from being heard. Ginny slapped her back and looked concerned, and Pansy bit the inside of her cheek as Draco held a finger to his lips to silence her.

"Well," Pansy said, regaining her composure. "I suppose she thought that it was allowed after the stunt they pulled with you. He gave her permission for that, remember?"

"How did he find out she was cheating?" Ginny asked. The Rook was struggling in Draco's hand, and he was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

"Marcus' uncle told him in September. At first Marcus didn't believe him, but when he confronted Daphne, she confessed. He didn't waste any time and left immediately to go and file for divorce."

"Where's she been living, then?" Draco asked, relenting and putting the Rook back in his spot on the board. Pansy shook her head at him as she smiled.

"With her parents. They're fed up with her, though. She's gone all the time, except for the nights when she brings her current lover home. That's why she came to see my mother and I – she wanted to ask if she could stay with us."

"You know, it _should_ make me sad that a former flame of mine has been reduced to the social equivalent of a whore, shouldn't it?" Draco mused. A wicked smirk appeared on his face. "Oh well."

"So why did she wait so long to come and see Draco?" Ginny asked.

"I think she probably believed that when he heard that she was available again, he'd come seek her out and propose to her himself. It's too bad for her that she didn't realize that Draco doesn't listen to the Wireless or read the _Prophet_ anymore." Draco waved a hand dismissively.

"It's all rubbish, anyway." Ginny sat back in her chair and looked thoughtful, chewing on her bottom lip as she stared at the chess board.

"You're not a very good cheater, Draco," she said, eyeing her misplaced Rook. Draco looked surprised, and Pansy chortled with laughter.

"You're accusing me of cheating?" he pretended to look offended. She arched an eyebrow at him.

"My Rook has been moved. Besides, I saw you out of the corner of my eye. You've been watching my Rook for three moves now." Pansy's laughter filled the room, and Ginny giggled. Draco's face turned pink, but he smiled.

"I don't know what _you're_ laughing at, Parkinson," he sniffed. "You can't win unless you cheat."

"Please," she said, still shaking from laughter. "Where in the world have you been hiding, Ginny Weasley? You and I should have become friends a long time ago!" Ginny smiled.

"Hey!" Draco protested. "You haven't become friends _now_. I won't allow it. Morgaine only knows what trouble I'd be in if my best friend and my girlfriend decided to put their brains together against me!" Pansy giggled again, but Ginny's jaw dropped and she stared at him in wonder. Before she could ask him if he meant it, a house elf appeared by the table. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Merlin's beard, what the devil is it now?"

"I is sorry to be interrupting you, Master," the creature stuttered. "But there is a visitor here to see your guest." Draco turned to Pansy, who shook her head.

"I didn't tell anyone I was coming over here," she said, confused. Draco's heart began to speed up as he glanced at Ginny. She was sitting absolutely still, her eyes fixed on the house elf.

"Is it a man or a woman?"

"The visitor is a man, Master." Draco's heart jumped into his throat.

"What does he look like? Did he tell you his name?"

"No, Sir, Master. He didn't give a name, just said he wanted to see Master's lady guest. He has red hair, Master Sir."

"Oh no," Ginny said, squeezing her eyes shut. "Oh, Gods, no." She stood quickly and walked out of the room, heading towards the parlor. Pansy turned her eyes back to Draco, who was unusually pale.

"Her brother, I'm guessing?"

"Must be. He must have finally put two and two together and figured out where she was. She can't leave, Pans. I don't want her to." Pansy looked sympathetic.

"She doesn't strike me as the type of girl to let her brother bully her around. If she wants to stay, she'll stay."

"How do I know if she wants to stay?" he asked, his eyes darkening.

"I don't think she'll leave, Draco," she said softly. "I saw the way she looks at you."

"The way she looks at me?" he asked, a strange feeling washing over him. "How does she look at me?"

Pansy didn't hesitate before answering, "The way your mother looks at your father." Draco stared at her, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then closed it again and stared down at his hands. She watched him as he contemplated what she'd said. When he finally looked up, she was surprised at the raw emotion that was displayed on his face.

"She's so different from the other girls I've wanted, I'm not sure what to do."

"What do you mean?" Pansy asked, confusion etched on her face. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck as he thought.

"She likes the same things I do. She's smart. She's nice. She's-" he paused. "She's all the things that Daphne could never have been to me."

"That's a lot, though, Draco," Pansy said, patting his knee comfortingly. "I know you were terribly upset when Daphne did what she did, but she would never have made you happy, no matter how much you thought you loved her. She would have cheated on you, and she would have made you look the fool for it, too."

"You're right, I know."

"Besides, don't your parents already like Ginny? They never really cared for Daphne, did they?"

"No, especially Father. He told me repeatedly that she was a money-grubbing harlot, and that's harsh coming from him."

"Well, I happen to believe that everything happens for a reason, you know that. I've always thought so. Maybe the powers that be saw what Daphne really was, and decided that you deserved something better. Ginny is that something better, isn't she?" He gave her a weak smile.

"Must be," he murmured. "Isn't it funny, Pans, that I loathed her in school because she was always fawning over Potter, when Potter is essentially the reason she's here now?"

"How so?"

"It's a long story."

"I've got time enough," she said, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap. "And it's been a while since my best friend felt like opening up to me. Lay it on me."


	21. Chapter 21

Ginny hurried through the corridors of the Manor towards the parlor, hoping against hope that the house elf had been mistaken, and that her brother really wasn't there after all. Her feeble hopes dissipated when she opened the door and saw Ron sitting on the same opulent sofa that Daphne and Pansy had been on that morning. He stood when she entered, and watched her close the door.

"Great Gods, Ron, what in the bloody hell are you doing here?" she asked angrily. He ran his fingers through his hair, then sighed as he sat back down.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"I'm fine, I assure you. You can see for yourself exactly how well I am," she said, holding her arms out and twirling in a slow circle. He blanched at the sight of her new clothes.

"You're not… _doing_ anything… to get the clothes, are you?" he asked haltingly. Her jaw dropped and her face turned crimson with rage.

"How _dare_ you!" she hissed.

"I just wanted to make sure that my baby sister isn't being taken advantage of, is all," he said quickly, holding up his hands in surrender. She closed her mouth and sat down in the armchair, her back stiff. She folded her hands in her lap.

"I'm not. Was that all you wanted?"

"Damn it, Ginny!" he exclaimed, slapping his knee for emphasis. "I came here because I was _worried_ about you! No one has seen you for days, and I was starting to be afraid that something bad had happened!" Her expression softened slightly.

"I'm fine, Ron. Thank you for your concern, though. Everything is fine, and I'm not being taken advantage of at all." They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a moment.

"Are you happy?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, I am."

"I don't understand why you're _here_," he said, looking around the room. "I just don't get it."

"I'm here because Draco is my friend, and his parents invited me to stay. I wanted to, so I did."

"Oh." More silence. Ginny sighed, frustrated.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to give me the bit about Malfoy being a pillock and tell me that I should stay away from him and his evil family?"

"No," he said, looking down at his feet again. "I reckon you already got enough of that from Harry."

"Really?" her voice reflected her startled expression.

"Really. Look, Gin, I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you lately. I know I was wrapped up in the wedding, but I promise you, that's over. It won't happen again."

"What do you mean, that's over?" she asked cautiously. His ears turned scarlet as he withdrew the engagement ring from his pocket and held it out to her. Her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped. "Oh, Ron! What have you _done?"_

"I've done what needed to be done," he said, returning the ring to his pocket. His expression was closed off. Ron was calm, which was unnerving in and of itself; but now he was looking at her with a stony expression, and that frightened her. Ron was _never_ this calm. He had always worn his heart on his sleeve and let everyone see how he was feeling.

"Why was it necessary?"

"It's not something that I'd like to go into with you, Gin, for my own personal reasons. Just know that I don't intend on marrying Hermione now."

"I hope you didn't do that just because you couldn't find me."

"No, that wasn't the only reason, but it was the thing that helped me see what kind of person Hermione really is."

"Which is?"

"Selfish."

"And Harry? Does he know about this?" Ron nodded mutely. "Was he there?" Again, Ron nodded. She chewed on her thumbnail.

"Gods, Ron. What are Mum and Dad going to say when they find out? Harry and Hermione are practically part of the family already."

"Practically doesn't cut it," he said coldly. She blinked. "They're _not_ part of the family, and never will be."

"Ron, what's the matter with you? Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Ginny. For the first time in my life, it's like I'm seeing clearly. My family is what's important to me, and I've been neglecting them. I've been neglecting _you_. I came here tonight because I thought I'd lost you, and it would kill me if I did. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Ron," she said softly, giving him a tiny smile. "I'm fine. Draco's parents are lovely, and Draco is…" her voice trailed off, and Ron looked pained. "Draco is lovely, too. There's really nothing to worry about."

"I'm just happy that you're all right," he said, standing. "Thanks for not kicking me out, anyway." She smiled and stood to embrace him.

"I've missed you too, big brother. You're right; our family is falling apart. We need to stick together. Come and visit me again." His pained expression lifted and he grinned at her.

"I will." She walked him out of the parlor and to the great oak doors that led outside, giving him a final hug.

"I love you, Ron. Take care of yourself."

"You, too." She watched his retreating back until he was out of sight, then headed back towards the library to continue her chess game. When she got there, the door was closed, and she could hear muffled voices inside. She was sorely tempted to stand there and listen, but knowing it would be rude, she began to make her way down the corridor. Just then, the door opened, and Pansy emerged.

"Ginny!" She called. Ginny turned and stopped walking when Pansy motioned to her. She walked back to the library and went inside, and Pansy shut the door behind them. Draco's face was paler than usual, and as soon as Ginny entered the room, his eyes became locked on her. Pansy sat back down in her seat, and Ginny lowered herself slowly into her own seat.

"Why didn't you come back in here?" Pansy asked curiously.

"I heard voices and the door was closed, so I thought maybe you two didn't want to be disturbed." Draco's eyes flickered towards Pansy once, then focused back on Ginny.

"Oh, pish tush," Pansy said, waving her hand dismissively. "We were only discussing my nonexistent love life. How did your visit go?" Ginny sighed.

"It was fine," she said quietly. Draco frowned.

"Just fine?" She lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Just fine," she repeated. "Ron just wanted to check on me and make sure that I was doing all right."

"He didn't try to convince you to leave?" Pansy blurted. Draco shot her an angry glare, and she shrugged apologetically at Ginny. "I'm sorry to be so blunt, but with the history between Draco's family and yours… well, I just thought that perhaps he'd come here with that as his sole directive." Ginny offered her a weak smile.

"I don't think he's happy about me being here of all places, but he didn't try to get me to leave. He just wanted to check up on me." The wrinkles caused by Draco's frown disappeared as he relaxed.

"I'm surprised he didn't try and storm the library in an effort to hex me into oblivion," he mused, eyeing her thoughtfully. It was her turn to frown.

"Did you _want_ me to leave?" she asked. Draco's face reflected his surprise.

"What? Where did you get that ludicrous idea from?"

"You just seem awfully surprised that I stayed. Did you _want_ him to come and take me away?"

"I think perhaps it's time for me to be going," Pansy said, rising to her feet. Draco stood and started to escort her out, as was his habit to do in the past, but she shook her head. "You stay here. I know my way out well enough. I'll talk to you tomorrow." She squeezed his arm gently, then smiled at Ginny. "It was nice talking to you, Ginny. I hope to see more of you in the future." She turned and walked out of the library, making sure she closed the door behind her.

Draco turned back to Ginny, whose cheeks were pink. He sat back down slowly and met her gaze.

"Did you want me to leave?" she repeated. He rolled his eyes.

"Really, of all of the stupid things that I've ever heard you say, that _has_ to be the stupidest." She glared at him for a moment, then rose to her feet. She had just touched her hand to the doorknob when he grabbed her arm. She spun around and looked at him angrily.

"If you think I'm just going to sit here and let you insult me, Draco Malfoy, then you've got one hell of a surprise coming to you." To her surprise, he chuckled.

"I wasn't trying to insult you. Honestly," he said, letting go of her arm. He shook his head and grinned at her. "I was just trying to say that it was a stupid thing to think." She folded her arms across her chest.

"And that's not insulting, to call me stupid?" she asked, her lips pursed. He rolled his eyes again.

"I wasn't calling you stupid! Damn it, I was trying to tell you that I _didn't_ want you to leave."

"Then why didn't you just _say_ that, instead of throwing a veiled statement at me?" she asked exasperatedly. He sighed.

"I don't know." She looked away, letting her eyes focus on anything in the room except him. "I suppose it was just difficult for me to believe that as much as your brother hates me, he would let you continue to stay here."

"_Let_ me stay?" Her eyes flashed. "No one tells me where I can and can't go! He didn't _let_ me stay, I _chose_ to stay!"

"I didn't mean it that way," he said, sounding frustrated. "I just meant-" The words died on his lips as he realized how close they were standing to each other. He closed his eyes and sniffed gingerly, inhaling her clean scent. She smelled like a field of wildflowers. When he opened his eyes, she was looking at him breathlessly. Her lips were parted, and he could hear her breaths coming in short, ragged gasps.

He leaned closer. When their mouths were so close that their breathing was intermingled, he said, "I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay." His lips brushed lightly against hers as he spoke. She shivered from the contact.

"Then I'll stay," she whispered.

"Good." His whisper was barely audible before his lips touched hers. He rested his hands on her hips, sending waves of warmth cascading through her body. Her pulse was pounding wildly in her ears as his tongue touched her lips, seeking entrance. She opened herself to him and felt her knees becoming weak as his hands slid from her hips to her back, pulling her closer to him.

Her back was pressed against the door as he kissed her. The longer he kissed her, the more intense the contact became. His lips left hers, grazing her jawline, then coming to rest on her neck. She tilted her head back to allow him better access, and he groaned softly. He kissed down her neck, stopping when he reached the hollow at the base of her neck. When she moaned, he pulled away slightly and looked at her, taking in the deliciousness of her swollen lips and the flush of her cheeks. When she opened her eyes, they were glassy and unfocused.

"We should probably stop," he said, struggling to regain his composure. She blinked in surprise, then nodded and watched as he stepped backward and began smoothing out the front of his clothes. She looked down at her own rumpled clothes and struggled not to cry. Was she so undesirable that he had decided he didn't want to kiss her anymore?

Shame made her face burn as she realized that she probably would have let him do whatever he wanted to do, with little or no protesting. Had he stopped because she had been behaving too wantonly? She could feel her head beginning to throb painfully from the force of her confusion.

Draco looked up from his clothes just in time to see her press her hand to her forehead. Her eyes were closed and her cheeks were flushed. He frowned.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked. She opened her eyes and forced a weak smile.

"Actually, I'm not. I've got a terrible headache. Would you mind terribly if I went to lie down for a while?"

"Of course not," he said. He watched as she turned and left the room without even another glance at him. When she was gone, he slumped down in a chair and covered his face with his hands, wondering if he'd scared her with his intense touches.


	22. Chapter 22

Draco sat down at the dinner table and avoided eye contact with his parents. His mother exchanged a worried glance with his father, but remained silent. After the meal was over and they were sipping coffee, Lucius cleared his throat.

"Is Ginevra quite all right?" Draco nodded curtly.

"She had a headache and went to lie down."

"Perhaps I should check on her," Narcissa said, rising from her seat. When she was gone, Lucius turned back to his son.

"Did something happen between the two of you? Your first fight, perhaps?" Draco sighed.

"I don't know exactly what happened," he admitted. "Her brother came to see her, and I was- I mean, I thought she might-" his voice faded, and his father smiled.

"You were frightened she might decide to leave, is that it?" Draco nodded. "Well, it's obvious that she hasn't left. What happened after her brother left?"

"She somehow got the ridiculous idea that I wanted her to leave, and that I'd _wanted_ her brother to take her away. I told her how stupid that was of her to think, and she got mad."

"What did you say then?"

"I didn't say anything," he said, his cheeks burning. "I kissed her." His father spluttered, choking on the sip of coffee he'd just taken.

"You did what?" he asked, dabbing at his chin with a napkin. Draco stared at the tablecloth.

"I kissed her."

"Was she angry?"

"I don't think so – I mean, it's not the first time I've kissed her, it's the fourth, but this time was different from the others. I could almost feel myself losing control, and I didn't want to take advantage of her, or force myself on her, so I stopped." Lucius nodded his approval.

"That was very wise of you. You were protecting her honor."

"But after I said that we should stop, that's when she turned red and said she had a headache. Should I not have kissed her?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

"It seems to me that if she had been upset by the kiss, she would have ended it herself. It may be that she was embarrassed."

"How so?"

"What did you say when you stopped? Did you tell her how you felt, or _why_ you were stopping?"

"No, I just told her that I thought we should stop."

"Perhaps she misconstrued your reasons for stopping. She may have thought that you didn't want to kiss her, after all." Draco's jaw dropped.

"But that's not- I mean, I didn't- it was quite the opposite, actually," he said, shaking his head.

"You know how I feel about sexual relations outside of marriage, Draco," Lucius said sternly. Draco nodded.

"Trust me, I learned my lesson with Daphne. But Ginny is different – I didn't just want to bed her. I actually –" he struggled to find the words, but before he could complete his thought, his mother came back in and sat down in her chair.

"Is the girl well?" Lucius asked. Narcissa nodded.

"She's fine. She was sleeping when I knocked, poor thing. I asked if she wanted the house elves to bring her something to eat, and she said she wasn't hungry." Draco's face paled, and Lucius frowned.

"Draco, I suggest that you speak to her first thing tomorrow morning." Narcissa glanced between them.

"Has something happened?" Draco repeated what he'd told his father. When he stopped speaking, Narcissa clucked her tongue at him. "Darling, the poor girl is probably embarrassed!"

"That's what I said," Lucius agreed.

"It sounds very much unlike you," Narcissa continued. "To get so carried away, I mean."

"I don't know what happened," Draco confessed. "I did stop before it went any further, though."

"Yes, you did," his mother beamed. "Not many young men would have been able to. Isn't that what got your friend Marcus in the trouble he's in?"

"What?" Draco asked, startled.

"Marcus Flint," she said, sipping her coffee. "Didn't he get into all of that trouble with the Greengrass girl because he couldn't control his urges around her?"

"No, they married because they were supposedly in love," Draco said, surprised that he didn't feel any of the bitterness he was usually overcome with while mentioning Daphne or Marcus.

"Codswallop," his mother said, shaking her head. "They married because the girl was with child."

"Narcissa!" Lucius chastised gently. "That's hardly suitable conversation for the dinner table!"

"Of course, you're right, darling," she agreed. Draco sat up straighter, his interest piqued.

"Daphne was pregnant?" Narcissa looked at Lucius, who sighed.

"Oh, very well, then. Discuss it if you must."

"As far as I know, yes. Her mother was at tea with Ornella and I last month, and she was telling us that she thought the boy was about to leave her daughter, and she found out she was pregnant right before he told her. When she told him the news, he was terribly excited, and did the right thing by her and married her. It was only after they were married that she told him that she wasn't sure if the baby was his or not."

"What?" Draco gasped. Narcissa nodded. "So that's why he added the unfaithfulness clause in the prenuptial agreement."

"And now they're divorced, aren't they? It just goes to show how much better off you are without that trollop. You didn't need the heartache of a woman who would take any man to her bed. You need a good girl."

"And I suppose you have someone in mind," he said dryly, though the glimmer of a smile began on his lips. His mother laughed.

"Oh, darling! How wonderful it is to see you happy again, after all this time." Draco was quiet for a moment as he thought.

"Mother," he began slowly. "Might I ask you for a favor?"

"Certainly, my sweet."

"Since you went shopping with Ginny, you know what size clothes she wears, right?"

"Yes." Lucius looked up from his brandy.

"When I went to retrieve her for breakfast this morning, she answered the door in her nightclothes."

"And?"

"And they were _horrible_," he said, wrinkling his nose. "Baggy sweatpants and a baggy shirt. Would you please do me a favor and buy her something more…"

"Feminine?" she offered. He nodded vigorously, and she giggled. "I'd be more than happy to, darling. I agree; her bedclothes were decidedly unfeminine."

"Are the two of you quite finished?" Lucius asked, laughing. "After all, it's getting late, and I'd like to get to bed early tonight, since I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Of course, Darling, I'm sorry," Narcissa said, standing. She turned to Draco and kissed his forehead. "I'll send an owl out to the boutique I frequent, and instruct them to have something ready for pickup tomorrow morning. Perhaps you can give it to her as a peace offering."


	23. Chapter 23

When Ginny awoke, her head was still pounding. She opened her eyes and squinted against the onslaught of sunlight that flooded in through the windows. Embarrassment washed over her as the previous night's events came rushing to the forefront of her mind.

She showered and dressed quickly before heading towards the dining room for breakfast. To her mixed relief and disappointment, Draco was not present. Narcissa was in her usual seat, sipping from a delicate china tea cup. She looked up and smiled at Ginny as she sat down.

"I do hope you'll forgive the men's absence," she said. "They got called away in the middle of the night." Ginny poured herself a cup of tea and reached for the sugar.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to eat dinner with you last night," she began. Narcissa smiled again.

" Don't worry about it; I quite understand. I'm given to rather painful migraines occasionally myself. Are you feeling well now?"

"Yes, much better," Ginny said, buttering a piece of toast. After pausing for a moment, she lifted her eyes to meet Narcissa's. "Will Draco and your husband be home soon?"

"Oh, there's no telling when they'll be home," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "Why, did you and Draco have plans today?"

"No," Ginny admitted, shaking her head. She bit into her toast and tried to push down the empty feeling that seemed to come around lately whenever Draco wasn't nearby. Narcissa finished her tea and replaced the cup on the saucer.

"Perhaps you'd be inclined to spend some time with me until he returns?" she asked. Ginny smiled and nodded. "I had intended to do a reading today, but you know what they say, two heads are better than one. I would welcome any help you had to offer."

"I'd be glad to help," Ginny agreed. She was thankful for the opportunity to make herself useful; at least this way she wouldn't dwell on Draco all morning long. She finished her breakfast and followed Narcissa to the small lounge where they'd done their first reading together.

"Could you prepare the bowl for me, Ginevra?" Narcissa asked, gesturing to the cabinet that Ginny knew held her supplies. She nodded and went about gathering the two bowls that Narcissa used in her readings. Ginny had seen them before, but was still in awe of the craftsmanship displayed on the outsides of the vessels. Narcissa was considerably wealthier than most people, and could therefore afford the best of everything. Where Ginny used inexpensive, easily replaceable brass bowls, Narcissa used one-of-a-kind, specially designed silver bowls.

Ginny sat them down gingerly on a small table, then sat down and waited for Narcissa to bring the purified water and the wax. Narcissa handed Ginny a large chunk of wax that made her wince – the color was a violent red, strikingly similar to Ginny's own haircolor. She watched as Narcissa poured the water into the bowl on her right, then motioned for Ginny to drop the wax into the bowl on her left.

The silence in the room was deafening as Narcissa began to heat the wax. She stirred it constantly with a silver ladle that matched the set of bowls. When the wax had melted completely, she handed Ginny the ladle and nodded. Ginny stared at the ladle stupidly before realizing that Narcissa wanted her to pour the wax into the water. She ignored the burning of her cheeks and dipped the ladle in gently, then let the wax fall into the water.

Almost immediately the long string of wax broke into two separate pieces, one of which floated to the rim of the bowl and stayed there, and one of which floated to the middle and stayed. Ginny didn't bother to hide her surprise at the symbols, and her eyes flew to Narcissa's.

"One more ladleful of wax," Narcissa urged gently. Ginny nodded and did as she was told, then put the ladle down to inspect the hardened wax in the water. She blinked hard, then looked away quickly.

"What do you see?" Narcissa asked eagerly. Ginny's cheeks felt as though they must be on fire.

"Before I tell you, I have to know who this reading is for," she said quietly. Narcissa nodded.

"You already know, child." Ginny looked up.

"Me?" Narcissa nodded.

"But not you alone."

Ginny took a deep, steadying breath before peering back into the bowl. "I see a butterfly, a moon, and a circle." Narcissa frowned.

"That's not a circle, Ginevra, it's a ring, and well you know it. Why do you intentionally misread the symbols?" Ginny stood quickly and moved to the small window, turning her back to Narcissa.

"I'm frightened." Narcissa stood and moved to her side, wrapping a motherly arm around her shoulders.

"You're frightened no more than he is," she said softly. Ginny sighed. "I know that the things that are happening between the two of you are creating confusion. You should know that that is always the case when one enters uncharted territory."

"Are you saying that he's never been in love before?" she asked curiously. Narcissa nodded and gave Ginny's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I find that hard to believe."

"Appearances can be deceiving, you know. I believe he once fancied himself in love, though he could tell you now himself that it wasn't love at all."

"I understand," Ginny said, nodding. "I once fancied myself in love as well, although looking back now, it seems like nothing more than a schoolgirl's silly crush. It's completely different than what I feel for Draco." Narcissa eyed Ginny thoughtfully.

"If you already know that you love my son, why do you keep fighting it so?"

"It's because I _don't_ know," Ginny replied, her voice taking on a note of desperation. "How can I know that what I'm feeling is love if I've never been in love before?"

"How do you know that what you felt for this other boy was not love?" Ginny blinked hard.

"I just do," she said quietly. "If it _had_ been love, it wouldn't have faded so fast, would it?" Narcissa gave her a sympathetic smile.

"It's possible," she admitted. "But not entirely probable. If I may be so bold as to ask you, perhaps you could tell me how you feel about my son." A wry smile appeared on Ginny's face as she stared out the window.

"I'm not sure I can even tell you," she admitted. "He makes me laugh. He likes Quidditch – we even favor the same team! He's smart. And I'm learning that he can be considerate."

"Why don't you tell him all of this, and see what he says?" Ginny looked mortified.

"I couldn't do that," she protested. "It's been my experience that the moment you tell someone how you feel about them, they disappear."

"I'm sorry that you've had that experience, but I truly believe that if you speak to Draco, you'll find that he'll surprise you. He's not like other men." Ginny nodded slowly.

"You're right, he's not. I'll think about it," she promised.

"That's all I can ask," Narcissa said, smiling.

Draco collapsed in a heap on his bed, glad to finally be back home again. He was too tired to even remove his robe before he drifted into a heavy sleep.

Sometime after lunch, Ginny knocked on his door. He didn't answer, but the door swung open slightly. She peeked in.

"Draco?" she called softly. When she got no answer, she pushed the door open and went inside. She placed the tray she'd been carrying on his nightstand and pulled the coverlet over him. She brushed some errant strands of flaxen hair away from his face and planted an impetuous soft kiss on his cheek. She turned and left the room, pulling the door closed behind her with a soft _click_.

Draco slept soundly, not waking until the morning sunlight flooded his room. Before he even opened his eyes, he could smell the chocolate. He sat up quickly and scanned the room, half expecting Ginny to be there.

His eyes didn't fall on her, but on a tray that was sitting on his nightstand. He lifted the lid of the tray to find a steaming mug of chocolate, warm buttered toast, and a plate full of scrambled eggs.

He ignored the food and reached for the mug, savoring the chocolate as he sipped. He finished the drink, then made short work of the food. He stood and stretched, then went to take a leisurely shower. Ginny was going to spoil him if she insisted on bringing him chocolate after every meeting, but he wasn't going to complain about it. A stupid smile was plastered on his face all through his shower.

After dressing, he made his way to Ginny's room and knocked on her door. He thought he heard mumbling, but he couldn't be sure, so he pushed the door open a bit. She was still in bed, the coverlet a tangled heap at her feet. He stepped closer.

"Ginny?" he asked softly. She didn't answer, but she stirred. He froze. Instead of seeing her baggy sweatpants, his eyes fell on bare legs – _long_ bare legs, at that. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes traveled up. Her baggy sweatshirt was missing as well. The bedclothes he'd seen her in previously had been replaced by a scandalously short aqua colored nightie. He tried to swallow down the lump that had risen in his throat and stepped closer.

His mother had apparently made good on her promise to help him – _too_ good, he thought. _Next time I'd better be careful what I ask for._ He reached out and fingered the lace at the bottom of the nightie, and his fingers lightly brushed the skin just above her knee. He froze when he heard her sharp intake of breath. Reluctantly he met her eyes.

He expected her to rage at him for being in her room uninvited, or at the very least give him dirty looks. Instead, he received another one of her sleepy smiles. His stomach pitched forward pleasantly as she stretched.

"Have I slept through breakfast again?" she asked, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. He relaxed and sat down on the edge of her bed.

"I think so," he said quietly, nodding. She sighed, but made no attempts to move.

"That's two days in a row," she grumbled, closing her eyes again. "I don't want your parents to think that I don't enjoy their company."

"I'm sure they don't think that," he said reassuringly. "Besides, I've missed both days as well." She opened her eyes and stared sleepily at him.

"Look, Draco- about the other night-" she began.

"Forget it," he said, shaking his head. "Let's just forget that it ever happened and start over." She blinked and looked stunned.

"Oh," she breathed softly. She sat up slowly, and then stood. She started to move away from the bed when he reached out and grabbed her arm. With a gentle tug, she was sitting beside him.

"I didn't mean forget _all_ of it," he said pointedly. She met his eyes and her cheeks turned pink.

"Which part do you want me to forget?" she asked breathlessly. He arched an eyebrow at her, then leaned forward and pressed his lips gently to hers. When he pulled away, he raised a hand to cup her cheek, caressing her smooth skin with his thumb.

"Not that part," he whispered. She opened her eyes and stared at him. "Thank you for the tray you left me." She blushed and looked down.

"What makes you think it was me?" she asked. He slipped his finger beneath her chin and gently forced her to look up.

"The house elves don't care enough about me to bring food that's meant to be hot and then charm the tray to keep it that way. They usually bring me a cold sandwich or a cold scone." He smirked at the embarrassed smile she tried to hide.

"I didn't want to keep sneaking in and wake you by accident," she explained. "You looked so peaceful, and I knew you must be tired." She was taken by surprise as his mouth descended on hers, effectively silencing her. He plunged his hands into her hair, holding her in place as he kissed her thoroughly. Slowly his hands slid down from her hair to lightly brush her shoulders, then slid down her bare arms.

Ginny shivered as his hands explored her exposed skin. His kisses were making her lightheaded; they were soft and insistent, but she could feel their potential to turn hard and demanding. His hands finally came to rest on her bare shoulders, and gooseflesh arose on her skin as his thumbs lightly stroked the base of her throat. He kissed her one last time, letting his lips linger for a long moment before pulling away to look at her.

"I'd better leave and let you get dressed," he said, not moving.

"Why?" she blurted. When he grinned, she gave an embarrassed laugh. "Ignore that."

"But you're so alluring when you're insecure," he teased, his eyes sparkling.

"Then I should be insecure all the time," she laughed.

"You're alluring all the time, even without the insecurity," he murmured.

"Do you really mean that, or are you just saying it so I'll keep bringing you chocolate?"

"I don't say things I don't mean," he said softly. Her smile faded, and they sat in silence for several moments before he cleared his throat. "It's inappropriate for me to be in your room alone with you while you're in this state of undress." She blushed and nodded, then stood and moved to the closet to retrieve her robe from its hook. She turned and caught him staring at her.

"If you're uncomfortable being alone with me while I'm in my pyjamas, why aren't you leaving?" He stood and closed the distance between them, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

His breath was hot on her ear as he whispered, "I'm very comfortable being alone with you like this." She shivered.

"Why haven't you left yet?" she repeated. His arms tightened around her, pulling her close to him.

"I'm _too_ comfortable," he answered, catching her earlobe gently between his teeth. She gasped, and he pulled away slightly to look at her. "Why did you wear this to sleep in last night?"

"I-" she hesitated, then sighed. "Your mother had it specially made for me, and I thought it would be rude of me not to wear it."

"It _would_ have been rude of you not to have worn it," he agreed, nodding. "But it would have been even worse had I not seen you wearing it." She blushed, and he smirked at her.

"You know, for someone who's not supposed to be alone with me like this, you seem to be taking an awful lot of pleasure in making me blush." He grinned.

"You want me here."

"What?" she laughed, trying to push him away. He held tight, and succeeded in pulling her closer than she had been before. When their lips were almost touching, he spoke.

"If you really wanted to get rid of me, you would have kicked me out long ago. But I'm still here, Ginny."

"Yes," she whispered, her eyes meeting his. "You are."

"Kick me out. Tell me to leave, and I'll go."

"You should go," she said quietly. His eyes roamed over her face slowly, as if gauging whether she'd meant it or not. When he started to pull away, she pulled his mouth down to hers for a hard kiss. He groaned when she wrapped her arms around his neck, and crushed her to him. After several moments, he pulled away and stared at her while he tried to catch his breath.

"You should go," she repeated, slipping her robe on. "Before your Mother and Father find out you were in here." His eyes were still wide as he nodded.

"When you're ready, come to the library where we played chess. I'll be waiting." He turned and left quickly, before he changed his mind totally about leaving her.


	24. Chapter 24

Ron burst through the door of the Burrow feeling considerably happier than he'd been in several days. He greeted his mother with a bear hug, then surprised his father by doing the same for him. Molly went back into the kitchen to finish preparing dinner while Arthur and Ron sat down in the family room.

"You're in an especially good mood today," Arthur observed, smiling. It was nice to see someone in his family happy, after all of the unpleasant things that had been going on as of late.

"I am," Ron agreed, grinning cheekily. Arthur laughed.

"Does it have to do with the wedding? Where _is_ Hermione, anyway?" he asked, missing the way Ron's happy expression faltered momentarily. "Isn't she coming for dinner?"

"I don't think so," Ron answered, shaking his head. "I didn't tell her we were having din-" his voice died as there was a loud knock on the door. Arthur stood and went to answer it.

"Ahh, that must be her now." Ron sat frozen in his chair, hoping against hope that Hermione – or Harry, for that matter- had not been stupid enough to try and come to the Burrow. Arthur came back into the family room wearing a puzzled expression. "There's a woman at the door asking for you, Ron." Ron frowned, then stood and went to the door.

"Hi, Ron," she breathed, smiling nervously. Ron gaped at her, then quickly stepped out onto the front porch, pulling the door shut behind him.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he asked. She forced another smile.

"I thought… well, I'm not here to be unfriendly. I mean, I'm heading to the Manor for dinner this evening, and I wondered if maybe you might like to come. I thought you might like to see your sister." Ron opened and closed his mouth several times before giving up hope for coherent speech, and simply stared at her.

"You know, it took a lot for me to come over here," she hissed finally, putting her hands on her hips. "You could at least speak to me."

"Right," he said, shaking his head. "Right. I just- I mean, you _are_ who I think you are, aren't you?" She gaped at him for a moment, then laughed.

"Oh, Gods," she gasped between giggles. "I know it's not funny, but I can't help myself. The look on your face was priceless. Why don't you tell me who you think I am, and I'll tell you whether you're right or not?" He glanced around to make sure that no one was watching, then leaned towards her a bit.

"You do know that my house is being watched, don't you?" he whispered. She blinked at him. "It was very stupid of you to have come here, especially being who you are."

"What exactly do you mean by that?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I just meant that with you being connected to _him-_" she frowned.

"Him who?"

"Malfoy!" he hissed angrily. "With you being so closely connected to him, it wasn't very wise of you to have come here. What if you've put my sister in danger?"

"I haven't," she assured him, her smile returning. "Now, are you coming with me, or not?" He considered her offer quickly, glancing repeatedly at the house behind him.

"I'm not sure I'd be welcome there by anyone other than her," he said, his brow furrowing.

"You'd be my guest. They wouldn't be so rude as to kick you out or ask you to leave, unless you insult them."

"How do you know I wouldn't?" he asked, looking wary.

"Because I can tell that you're dying to see your sister. Now, tell your parents you're going out, and come _on_ already!"

Ron turned and opened the door. Poking his head inside, he called, "Mum, Dad, I'm going out for dinner. I'll be back in a bit." Before his mother could protest, he'd shut the door and was following Pansy down the driveway.

Ginny took special pains to brush her hair, although she couldn't explain why. She brushed until her hair shone, then brushed some more. When she finally quit, it wasn't because she was satisfied with the way her hair looked; it was because her arm just wouldn't cooperate with her commands to keep brushing. She sighed and put her brush down, then stood and examined herself in the mirror.

She'd originally balked at the idea of wearing the clothes Narcissa had purchased for her as every day clothes, especially since she was more used to wearing jeans or other such casual clothes. The clothes Narcissa had given her were far more dressy than jeans. She turned this way and that, scrutinizing her appearance.

After Draco's reaction to her in the silk blouse and fitted slacks, she had to seriously reconsider her position on wearing such nice clothes just to lounge around in. She'd selected an ivory blouse today, and wondered if it was too racy to wear around the Manor – or more specifically, around Lucius. She blushed as she realized that she didn't mind it being low-cut around Draco; she _wanted_ his attention. She fingered the little pearl buttons at her wrist and eyed her skirt. It was navy blue and plain, but then again, the shirt would attract enough attention without having to wear something racy below the waist. The hemline of the skirt grazed the tops of her knees, and she giggled at her reflection.

She looked very much like a rich man's secretary.

She picked up her wand and eyed her hair thoughtfully in the mirror. It was nice down, but she never saw Narcissa's hair down. Her hair was always presented with elegant, and sometimes elaborate, coiffures. Ginny muttered the spell she'd heard Draco use when he'd fixed her hair, then examined herself. Her hair was piled in a mass of curls at the back of her head. She nodded, satisfied, and applied the tiniest bit of pale lipstick. Narcissa's words echoed in her mind. She wanted to tell Draco how she felt, and today she would try. She would look nothing less than spectacular when she told him, either – perhaps then it would be harder to resist her.

She took a deep, steadying breath, then began the walk towards the library. Her high heels clacked against the floor, alerting anyone nearby to her presence. When she entered the library, Draco stood quickly and turned to look at her. His jaw dropped, and she felt a tingling sensation spread through her limbs as his eyes traveled slowly over her.

"Well," he breathed, standing straighter. "Well, well, well. Have I forgotten a special occasion?" He gestured towards the chair she had occupied when they played chess, and watched as she sat down and crossed her legs. He sat in the seat opposite her and stared.

"I thought that maybe it might be better if I dressed well, as opposed to dressing in my regular clothes. I feel so out of place here wearing jeans when I'm the only one who's doing it." Her cheeks were beginning to feel warm.

"You fit right in now, don't you?" he murmured. His voice betrayed no emotion, and she wondered at it.

"If I've offended you-" she began. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees as he looked at her.

"I've already called you my girlfriend," he said, his voice even. "Did you think you would offend me by dressing the part?" She tried to ignore the sensation of her stomach doing continuous flips.

"You know what they say about names," she said softly. He arched an eyebrow. "A rose by any other name…" her voice trailed off as he leaned even closer. "N-Not that I'm calling myself a rose, I mean-" she stuttered. She berated herself silently. Why was it that he should have this effect on her, making her forget things she'd been about to say, and making her feel as though she were nothing more than putty in his hands?

"Your regular clothes are perfectly acceptable here," he said, never taking his eyes off of her. "Although I much prefer you in what you're wearing." She smiled, and he leaned back in his chair, relaxing. She waited for him to speak again, but when he didn't, she took the initiative.

"Did you have anything planned for today?" she asked.

"Why, did you?"

"Well, sort of, but I was going to wait and see if you had anything in mind, so I wouldn't ruin anything you might have planned."

"No, I hadn't planned anything," he drawled softly. "I rarely plan things ahead of time."

"Really?" she asked, giving a soft laugh. "You strike me as the type who has his entire life mapped out."

"Too much planning is boring. What are you doing today?"

"I thought that I might go back to my flat and pick up a few things," she said, absentmindedly fingering the little pearl buttons at her wrist again. "And it's not long before Christmas, so I thought perhaps I might do a bit of early shopping."

"Indeed," he said quietly, his eyes on her face. "And were you planning on doing all of this alone?"

"Only if you had better things to do and didn't want to accompany me," she said, her heart pounding inexplicably at the unreadable expression he wore.

"Do you think it safe to venture back to your flat alone?" She blinked at him.

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, Potter, for one. Rumor has it that he's hell bent on retrieving you and putting an end to the brainwashing we're obviously doing with you here." She stared for a moment, then burst into raucous laughter. When her giggles had subsided, she wiped the moisture away from her eyes and smiled broadly at him.

"Oh, Gods," she laughed. "Harry has never shown this much interest in me before. Maybe it was his fight with Ron that made him so determined." Draco's eyebrows rose in question.

"Your brother and Potter had a falling out?"

"It would seem so," she nodded. "When he was here to see me, he told me that he and Harry had fought, and he'd called off his engagement to Hermione. He even showed me the ring as proof he'd gotten in back from her." Draco looked interested.

"He's not marrying her now?"

"No. And to answer your earlier question, no, I'm not afraid to go back to my flat alone. Do you really think Harry poses a threat to me?"

"One can never be sure."

"Trust me, I can," she laughed again. "Too bad for him I'm not besotted with him anymore – he'd have an easy go of it all if I were."

"You're not besotted with Potter?" Draco asked, his voice taking on a teasing note. "And pray tell, who _would_ you be besotted with now?"

"Hmm," she said, looking thoughtful. "Let me think. I can't say I know what he looks like now, but I do recall Blaise Zabini being rather fetching." Draco laughed in spite of the small flame of jealousy that sparked at her mention of anyone's name but his own.

"I could contact him and arrange a meeting, if you'd like," he said, reaching for a quill on the nearby desk. She lunged forward and clapped her hand over his, laughing.

"Don't you _dare_, Draco Malfoy!"

"You've no need to fear," he said, grinning cheekily. "I don't like sharing my things." Her face flushed crimson as she sat back down.

"You're an awful tease, has anyone ever told you that?" She smiled.

"Oh, but I'm serious," he said, shaking his head. He winked at her, and she giggled. "I don't like to share."

"You speak of me as though I'm a piece of property," she said, attempting to look displeased. Secretly the thought that he considered her to be his thrilled her, and she wondered at the feeling. She remembered a time when Michael Corner had called her his, and she'd slugged him for it.

"Aren't you mine?" he asked playfully.

"Hardly," she laughed, sticking her nose in the air. He chuckled softly.

"Then please, my lady, tell me. What must I do to make thee mine?" She snorted as he batted his eyelashes at her.

"Please," she laughed. He grinned.

"Well?" She rolled her eyes.

"All right, if you insist on continuing this charade," she sighed melodramatically. "I suppose you should woo me with chocolates and roses, and fine jewelry. Don't forget the poetry, either," she added, smiling.

"Anything else I should remember?"

"Hmm, no, I think that's it," she shook her head, highly amused with his game. "Isn't that the way that all ladies are wooed and won in romantic stories? I mean, stopping short of putting me into a hundred year sleep and waking me with a kiss?"

"But that definitely sounds like more fun for me," he said, grinning. "At least I'd get something out of the arrangement then." She tossed a small pillow at him as she laughed. He thought for a moment, then frowned. "Do women _really_ like poetry? It sounds a little poncy to me. I don't know any men who even read it, let alone read it in front of a woman."

"Draco, I was teasing," she laughed again. "Although, now that you mention it, I haven't seen you act poncy enough for my tastes lately. I mean, I know how you are about your hair, but…" her voice trailed off, and his jaw dropped. Before she knew what was happening, he'd leapt off of the chair and pounced on her, his fingers launching an assault on her ribs. She laughed until she cried, and still he tickled.

"Oh, sweet Circe," she gasped. "If you don't stop, I'm going to wet myself!"

"Can't have you ruining those new clothes now, can we?" he laughed, halting his attack. She was still trying to catch her breath when she realized that he was straddling her on the couch, and the red on her cheeks deepened.

"You're the cruelest person I've ever met," she pouted, closing her eyes. "To torture me like that, and almost make me ruin this expensive sofa!" He laughed again.

"You liked it."

"That's beside the point," she said defensively. She opened her eyes when he stood, and inspected her clothing. She frowned at him as she stood and attempted to smooth out the wrinkles in her shirt. "Look, you've gone and ruined my nice new shirt. I look awful now!"

He stepped forward and began smoothing out the wrinkles himself, and she froze, her breath caught in her throat, as his hands brushed gently against her. "There now, it isn't as bad as all that." When his eyes met hers, his movements stopped.

She stared breathlessly at him, not knowing what to say, and almost positive that he could hear her heart racing. The air between them hung heavy and charged; she began to ache for the touch of his hands again. He drew a ragged breath before speaking.

"How in the bloody hell am I supposed to keep my hands off of you if you keep inviting me to do it?" he asked quietly. "Whenever we're alone together, I end up touching you, kissing you. It isn't proper, and it's foolish of both of us." She nodded silently and her face fell.

"You're right, of course," she agreed, still struggling to calm her racing heart. "Maybe we shouldn't be alone together anymore. I wouldn't want to do anything to make you lose face." He stared at her.

"Me? I could care less what anyone thinks of _me_," he said, shaking his head. "I have enough money that people will fall over themselves trying to kiss up to me. It's _you_ I was talking about." Her hand fluttered to her throat as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"You're worried about protecting my honor?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"What else did you think I meant?" he asked, frowning. She shook her head and turned her face away from him so he wouldn't see the emotional tears that had welled up in her eyes.

"I don't know," she said softly. "But thank you. For wanting to protect my virtue, I mean – not that anyone really cares about it, except for my brother."

"I care about it," he said. "If I didn't, I would have had my way with you by now." She turned to face him, the surprise she felt registered on her face.

"What?" For the first time since beginning to speak to him again, she saw his cheeks turn red and embarrassment wash over his expression.

"You heard me," he said, averting his eyes. She reached out tentatively and touched his hand with her own. When he didn't pull away, she threaded her fingers through his and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. He looked up at her and the tension eased from his face.

"We're just tempting fate, aren't we, being alone like this?" He arched an eyebrow, and she gave him an embarrassed smile. "Men aren't the only ones who think about that kind of stuff, you know."

"I don't think I'd be totally willing to give up my time alone with you," he said, tugging gently on her hand. She moved closer and nodded.

"What should we do, then? If you kissed me again like you did this morning, I'm not sure I'd be able to say no to you. I don't want to embarrass or shame your family." She held her breath, for fear that he might tell her that he wanted her to leave. Instead, he leaned closer and pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled away, she gave him a confused look.

"I told you, I'm not worried about what people think of me."

"And I don't care what anyone says about me. I just don't want to upset your parents, when they've been so good to me." He kissed her again, letting his tongue explore her mouth slowly. His pulse began to pound in his ears when she sighed, relaxing into the kiss. When he pulled away several moments later, her eyes were hooded.

"Maybe we should get a bit of it out of our system," he suggested throatily.

"How?"

"Maybe some snogging, a bit of light petting, and then maybe we'll be ready to stop?" as he spoke, his arms slid around her, and one hand came to rest lightly on her bottom. She gasped but didn't move away.

"What if we do that and find that it's not enough?" she whispered.

"Then we'd have to get married," he whispered back. Her eyes flew open and she stared at him in shock. Instantly he looked wounded. "You don't have to look so disgusted," he said, blinking. She shook her head.

"No, it's not that, it's just- well, I mean-" she stuttered, trying to find the right words. "I just thought- well, I didn't think I was someone who would be- _fitting_ for you to even consider marrying. And I don't want to do something that's going to force you into something you'd regret later, either."

"Firstly, I decide who I want to marry, are we clear on that?" he asked levelly. She nodded. "Second of all, who's to say I'd regret it at all?"

"But I'm a _Weasley_," she said. "You hate everything about my family."

"I don't hate _you_," he said gently. "Are you saying that you would turn me down if I proposed to you?"

"You haven't asked, so how would you know?" she asked, beginning to think he was teasing her again.

"When I ask, will you deny me?" Her heart very nearly stopped beating.

"_When_ you ask?" she breathed. He didn't move. "_If_ you asked, and you meant it, I would consider it." Her cheeks burned with embarrassment at being so forward, but he didn't laugh at her. "But I won't hold my breath waiting for you, either."

"Ginny, don't toy with me," he said suddenly, looking pained. "Marriage is a sacred thing, and if I even thought for a moment that you might consider the idea of becoming my wife…" his voice trailed off, and her eyes roamed over his face, searching for any signs that he was teasing. When she found none, she began to tremble.

"You're not taking the mickey out of me, are you?" she whispered, awed. He shook his head slowly.

"Not even a tiny bit," he said, tightening his arms around her waist. "I want you, but I want to do it the right way. Do you want me?" She didn't hesitate before nodding. He buried his face in her shoulder, his hold on her so tight that she was having difficulty breathing. When he pulled away, he looked more composed.

"Perhaps you should go on about your errands alone today," he said, letting go of her. "I think I have some things of my own to take care of before dinner." Without another word, he left the library, leaving her staring after him in confusion.


	25. Chapter 25

Narcissa looked up, startled, as Draco entered the sitting room. He sat down in front of her and grinned. She put her book down and folded her hands in her lap, waiting for him to speak. He took a deep breath.

"I want to ask Ginny to marry me." He waited for her to tell him that it was too soon, and that he hardly knew the girl, but she said neither of these. Instead, she smiled broadly and clapped.

"Oh, sweeting, how wonderful!" she gushed, moving to hug him. "I'm so happy for you!" As if on cue, his father entered the room and headed straight towards a bookshelf that stretched from floor to ceiling. He was muttering to himself as he peered through his reading glasses. Narcissa stood and cleared her throat to get his attention. When he turned around, Draco stood as well.

"Darling, Draco has something to tell you." Lucius removed his glasses and smiled distractedly at Draco.

"What is it, Son?" Draco gave his mother a quick glance, and she nodded encouragement at him.

"I want to marry Ginny." Lucius' smile widened.

"That's wonderful," he said, clapping Draco on the shoulder. "Have you asked her yet?"

"No, I wanted to get approval from you and Mother before I asked her."

"You have my approval," Lucius nodded, slipping his glasses back on. "I think that the girl will make a fine addition to the family." Draco's relief was obvious.

"Really?"

"Absolutely." His father peered down his nose at something in the book he was reading, and he frowned. He held the book out to Draco. "Can you translate this passage?" he asked. "I was never very good with Latin. French I can manage."

"And beautifully, at that," Narcissa said, smiling at him. He chuckled softly, and Draco scanned the page quickly.

"From what I can make out, it's talking about some sort of key," he said. He turned the page and continued reading.

"So, have you found a ring to give her yet?" Narcissa asked. Draco shook his head.

"Not yet. I was going to go out and look around before dinner." His frown deepened the longer he read. He was silent for so long that Narcissa grew bored and left the room.

"A key?" Lucius puzzled aloud. "What sort of key?" Draco shook his head again.

"I can't tell. It's very confusing. The text jumps around a lot – in one breath it mentions a sort of gem, and in the next it mentions the key."

"Well, perhaps you can research it a little bit more for me," Lucius said, turning to look for another book. "I've been combing every book I can think of that makes mention of it."

"Mention of what, exactly?" Draco asked, looking up.

"The necklace of Eriphyle." Draco snorted.

"You mean the necklace of doom?" Lucius turned to look at him.

"How much do you know about it?"

"It's made of jewels, and it has a decorated amphisbaena on it," Draco said, furrowing his brow as he thought. "And it was part of a set of gifts to Harmonia from her husband, said to be made by the Gods in ancient Greece." Lucius nodded his approval.

"Yes, but it wasn't made by Gods," Lucius corrected him, handing him another book. "It was made by a very powerful wizard."

"A very _stupid_ powerful wizard," Draco murmured, eyeing the page his father had opened the book to. "He wound up cursing the necklace instead of charming it."

"He did that purposely," Lucius said, nodding. "He didn't want anyone else to use it but his wife, but she never got a chance. She was a muggle, and the moment she put it on, the object killed her."

"Unlucky," Draco said, arching an eyebrow.

"Luck has nothing to do with it," Lucius said. "The woman simply wasn't powerful enough to wield the necklace. She wasn't protected by any spells. My guess would be is that she didn't even know that her husband was a wizard."

"Wasn't there a robe that went with it, or some other article of clothing?"

"It was a robe, you're absolutely correct. Enchanted as well."

"If no one could use the items except for his wife, what did he do with them?"

"After his wife died, he took the items with him on a trip to Egypt. No one knows why he was going there or what his intentions were regarding the things when he got there, because he was killed and the items were stolen. They fell into the hands of Cadmus, who thought them to be a gift from the Gods, and presented them to Harmonia as a wedding gift."

"She wore them without incident, did she not?" he frowned, flipping through the pages.

"She did. Cadmus had unwittingly married a witch, and a very intelligent one, at that. Before she even put the items on, she could feel their magic, and cast a shielding spell."

"So what use are they now? They bring death and destruction to everyone who wears them because of their curse." Lucius shook his head impatiently.

"I'd advise you to go back and read through the first book I handed you more carefully, Draco. The curse can be countered with a key." Draco's face lit up.

"And you're looking for the key, is that it?" Lucius nodded. "Have you got the items?"

"Not yet. The Dark Lord believes he knows where they're located, and as soon as the Ministry backs down a bit, a group of us are going to go and hunt for them."

"How long do you think it will be before you're sent out to look?" Draco asked.

"A week, maybe two."

"I'll keep going through these books," he said, tucking both of them under his arm. "And I'm going out in a bit, so I'll look around and see if I can find any more books."

"You won't find anything in a conventional bookstore or library," Lucius said pointedly. "The Ministry knows how powerful these items are, so they're doing their best to keep knowledge of their existence away from the masses."

"I'll figure something out," Draco promised. "I'll find a way to get some more information." Lucius smiled.

"I knew you would. You're always making me proud, do you know that?" Draco's cheeks flushed with pleasure.

"Thanks," he smiled. "I think I'll go and find Mother now. Maybe she can help keep Ginny occupied, or something. I don't want her to know what I'm up to." Lucius nodded, and ruffled Draco's hair once before leaving the room. Draco went back to his room and put the books on his desk, then went to find his mother. When he found her again, she was in the parlor.

"Draco, darling," she said, standing. "We have guests." Draco turned and his expression turned cold. Pansy was sitting on the couch next to Ron Weasley.

"Pansy. Weasley." He gave a curt nod, then turned back to his mother. "Mother, may I speak to you alone for a moment?" She nodded.

"I won't be but a moment," she said, smiling at Pansy as she excused herself. Draco went into the hallway, and his mother followed him.

"What is _he_ doing here?" he hissed quietly.

"Darling, Pansy invited him over for dinner."

"What? Doesn't she realize that he's part of Dumbledore's inner circle? If he sees Father, all he has to do is apparate back and alert everyone, and they'll be here within moments to cart him back off to Azkaban!"

"Calm down, sweeting. Pansy knows that your father is here, so she knows the risks of bringing him here. She has to have a reason for doing it." Draco relaxed a tiny bit.

"You're right," he breathed. "I just wonder what it is. I hope she knows what she's doing."

"Was there something else you needed to speak to me about?"

"Yes. I was going to ask if you'd keep Ginny busy while I go out and run some errands for father. I'm going to look at rings while I'm gone, too." Her face lit up.

"Before you buy anything, you must have a look at your Grandmother's wedding set," she begged. "It's beautiful, and I think it would look wonderful on Ginevra." Draco smiled indulgently at her.

"All right, then, I will. Where is the set?" Narcissa smiled brightly.

"It's in the vault. Do you need help looking for it?" Draco shook his head.

"No, I'm sure I can manage. I'll look at it on my way out." He kissed her cheek and left, and she went back into the parlor. Pansy gave her a worried glance.

"Is everything okay?" she asked. Narcissa smiled graciously and nodded.

"Everything is fine. He was a bit surprised by Mister Weasley's presence, but nothing more. He had to leave to run some errands. So," she said, picking up her tea cup. "How is your mother?"

Pansy smiled. "She's wonderful, thank you so much for asking. She did want me to ask you when you'd be coming back for tea, though." Narcissa smiled again.

"I'm not sure, dear. We have a guest right now, so I'd like to wait until she leaves before I venture out. It would be too rude to go and have tea and leave her here."

"I'm sure mother wouldn't mind if you brought her. It would give me someone to talk to while the two of you catch up."

"In that case, then, I might have to come soon. We have so much to catch up on." Narcissa couldn't help but notice that Ron was nervous. He was fidgeting with his teacup, rotating it back and forth in his hands. "Are you quite all right, Mister Weasley? Is there anything else I can get you?" Startled, Ron jumped, and a bit of tea sploshed out onto the saucer. His ears immediately turned crimson.

"No, thanks," he said, sitting his cup and saucer on the coffee table in front of him. He sat back on the couch and tried to relax.

"Well, then, I expect that you'll be wanting to see your sister." Ron's face brightened immediately, and he sat up straight.

"That would be great," he agreed. Pansy hid her smile as Narcissa rose from her chair.

"I'll go and fetch her then, shall I?" She left, and Pansy turned to Ron.

"You don't have to be nervous around her, you know. She's not Lucius, she's not Draco, and she's very nice. She loves your sister." Ron sighed.

"It's hard not to be nervous," he said, staring down at the floor. "I'm in the house of someone who _hates_ me, and it's really unnerving. Especially after I saw the look that he gave me when he walked in here."

"He wouldn't dare be rude to you, Ron. You're a guest of a guest, and it would be in extremely bad taste to be nasty to you. Besides that, he wouldn't dare be mean to you if he thought his doing so would alienate your sister." Ron squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them slowly to look at her.

"Are you trying to say that he cares about Ginny?" She nodded.

"And I think she cares about him, too. They were playing chess the other night, and-"

"My sister played chess?" he asked, grinning. Pansy nodded, bewildered.

"Why is that funny?"

"She _never_ plays chess," he said, shaking his head. "Because she always gets beat."

"Well, she was winning against Draco," Pansy offered. Ron slapped his knee and chortled.

"He must not be a very good player, because Ginny is _awful!_"

"I'll have you know that I take offense to that, Ronald Weasley!" Ron looked up when he heard Ginny's voice. She was standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips, looking regal. Ron swallowed hard and stood.

"Gin, you look – you look-" he watched as she walked to the seat that Narcissa had been occupying and sat down. "You look fabulous." She smiled.

"Thanks," she said softly. "You look good, too. What brings you here?"

"I invited him over for dinner," Pansy said. Ginny paled a bit.

"Does Draco know?"

"Does Draco know what?" he asked, striding into the room. Ron watched his sister carefully as Draco entered, noting that she _did_ look happier when he'd come in. Draco sat on the arm of the chair, just as he had done the day that Pansy had brought Daphne over.

"I thought you'd left to run some errands?" Pansy asked, arching an eyebrow suspiciously. Draco smirked at her.

"I'm going to shortly. I was on my way back to my room to get my cloak when I heard my name mentioned. Nothing bad, I hope." He and Ron eyed each other appraisingly.

"Nothing bad," Pansy confirmed. "Ginny was just asking if you knew that I'd invited Ron to dinner." Draco turned his eyes to her and nodded.

"I know." Ginny looked tense.

"And you don't mind?" she asked quietly. He shrugged.

"Why would it bother me? Your brother came to see you. It's not my place to tell him to stay or go." Ginny's worried expression melted away, and she beamed at Ron. Pansy elbowed him in the side, a gesture that made Ron wince, and Draco raise his eyebrows in surprise.

"Now tell me why you were lying to Pansy about my chess playing skills," she teased. Ron grinned sheepishly.

"I don't know the meaning of that word, lying."

"Ron," she said, rolling her eyes. "You told her that I was a bad player. You know that _you_ never beat me before, so why-" Ron faked a coughing fit. Draco was becoming highly amused by the exchange. It was immediately clear to him that the siblings were close, and he was envious. He'd never had a brother or sister to play games with, or to talk to. Pansy giggled.

"You've never beaten Ginny? How often do you play?"

"I play every night," he said proudly. "I've beaten lots of people."

"Yeah, Harry and Hermione. That's not something to brag about, Ron." Ginny was giggling along with Pansy.

"Why not?" he asked defensively.

"Because Hermione is terrible at any kind of chess, and Harry had no idea what it was until he was eleven. He hasn't had enough time to get good at it." Draco was having difficulty maintaining his stoic expression.

"Yes, well," Ron said, his ears burning. "Let's have another go at it sometime, and I'll put you in your place." Pansy and Draco exchanged amused glances.

"Hey, I have five minutes to spare before dinner," Ginny teased. Draco grinned proudly at her. She really was exceptional; the quickness of her verbal sparring with her brother was surprising to him. Then again, they _had_ had their entire lives to perfect it. Ron nodded.

"Prepare to be vanquished!" Pansy couldn't help herself; she burst into a loud fit of laughter. Ron turned on her. "I'll take you too, Parkinson!" She sat up straight and looked at him in surprise, something strange washing over her as she saw the teasing light in his eyes. It was Draco's turn to laugh.

"Better enchant the pieces so they can't be taken off of the board illegally," he laughed. Ron's mouth fell open in mock surprise as he looked at Pansy.

"Oho! Do mine ears deceive me? Do I hear someone saying that you're a bad player?" Pansy turned pink and poked her tongue out at Draco, who laughed as he stood. Ginny turned to him.

"Aren't you going to stay and watch?"

"No, I've got some errands to run yet," he said, giving her a soft look. "But I'll be back as soon as I can." She nodded, and he tried not to be too pleased that she looked so disappointed. He nodded curtly to Pansy and Ron. "I'll see you both when I get back."

"Bye, Draco," Pansy waved. Ron simply returned the nod.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty Six 

Draco held his breath and watched as several Ministry officials moved past him. It was stifling hot under the invisibility cloak, but it was the only way inside without being noticed. Once he got inside, he knew that the cloak would be useless – the Ministry had too many charms and wards that prevented the use of such things inside their building. He slipped through the door unnoticed and headed into the men's loo. He was careful not to remove the cloak until he was inside a stall.

He folded it up and shoved it into the bag he was carrying, then brushed the sweat away from his forehead as he contemplated his next move. He'd broken into the Ministry once before, two years ago. No one had ever found out who had done it, but he knew that they had increased their security measures after that. He left the stall and was just about to exit the loo when he heard the door opening. If anyone saw him there, it would mean at the very least that he'd be interrogated. He slipped back into the stall and pulled the cloak out of his bag.

"I just don't know what to do," a man's voice said. Draco stiffened instinctively. He'd know Harry's voice anywhere.

"There's not much you _can_ do," another voice answered. "She left of her own accord."

"All the same, I think that when we get into the meeting, we need to let everyone know that both she and Ron have gone missing."

"Ron?" the voice asked, shocked. "Her brother has deserted, too?"

"I don't know that for sure, but I have a strong suspicion that he might. He was really angry when he confronted me and Hermione. I've seen him mad before, but this time…" Harry's voice trailed off. "Well, this time I think it'd be best if we stepped up the security."

"You don't really think that he'd tell anyone anything, do you?" One of them turned on the tap, making it hard for Draco to hear them.

"Don't know," Harry was saying. "…knows how to…Moody taught her to…dangerous to us." Draco sighed silently in frustration; he hated catching snippets of the conversation like that. "…in Greece somewhere…knows the location…" Draco gasped. Was Potter saying that one of the _Weasleys_ knew the location of the necklace and robe that the Dark Lord wanted? He waited impatiently for Harry and the other man to leave the loo. When they finally left, he slipped out of the door and outside to freedom.

Once he was safely among the crowded streets of Hogsmeade, he removed the cloak and stuffed it back inside his bag. He headed to Knockturn Alley to purchase some items for his father, and Harry's voice echoed inside his head.

Back at the Manor, Pansy was thoroughly enjoying the chess match that was going on in the library. Ron was sweating; he'd never seen Ginny play so well. She looked calm and composed, and totally in control, and it unnerved him. He sighed and waited for her to move.

"Do you want to quit now and save some face, big brother?" she teased. He arched an eyebrow at her, and a giggle escaped her lips.

"Quit? Me? Never," he said, shaking his head. "How did you learn to play like this? I don't ever remember you winning a single game against me." She smiled.

"Selective memory," she said.

"Seriously. Did you practice on someone else?"

"I learned to play by watching you and Harry," she explained. He blinked.

"I don't remember you ever watching us," he said.

"Selective memory," she repeated, her voice softer this time. "There were a lot of things that you and Harry never noticed."

He turned pink with embarrassment. "Look, Gin. I'm really sorry-" she held up her hand to stop him.

"It's all right," she said. "You're here now, and that's what matters." Pansy cleared her throat.

"So, Ron," she began. "How's the planning for your wedding coming along?" Ron stiffened, and Ginny shook her head slightly at Pansy, whose mouth fell open.

"It's not," he said simply, meeting her gaze steadily. "I've called it off."

"Called it off?" she echoed, dumbfounded. "But why? You've been head over heels for Granger since our second year." Ron shrugged.

"I guess I wasn't in love, after all," he said softly. "Apparently I value family more than she could ever understand." He gave Ginny a soft smile, and she returned it.

"You mean that you wanted kids, and she didn't?" Pansy asked, frowning. Ron chuckled.

"I believe he was referring to Ginny," Draco said, smirking at Pansy as he entered the room. "Weren't you?" Ron nodded. Pansy rolled her eyes at Draco.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that?" she asked, pouting. Draco stood beside Ginny's chair and eyed the game in progress.

"The fact that he looked directly at his sister when he said it should have been your first clue," he said, grinning. Pansy flushed. "This is one hell of a game you two have going. How long have you been at it?"

"Just under two hours," Ginny said, glancing at the clock that hung on the wall. "It would have been shorter, but Ron's prolonging the inevitable by taking fifteen minutes for each one of his turns." She and Pansy giggled, and Ron's ears turned scarlet for the hundredth time that afternoon.

"Prolonging the-" he muttered good-naturedly. "You may beat me at _this_ game, but there are plenty of others _I_ can beat _you_ at, you know. Just you wait until I get you up on a broom again." Draco raised his eyebrows at Ron.

"That sounds like a challenge that I'd be interested in seeing," he said. Ron looked up at him in surprise, not knowing how to respond to the friendliness in Draco's voice.

"Or interested in being a part of," Pansy interjected, smiling. Draco nodded.

"Or being a part of."

"What do you say then, a two-on-two game of Quidditch sometime?" Pansy suggested. "Girls against boys?"

"Oh, you're going to saddle Draco with _Ron?_" Ginny sighed melodramatically. "Poor, poor Draco." Draco chuckled.

"I wouldn't start feeling too superior just yet if I were you, sweet," he said, chucking Ginny gently under the chin with his forefinger. "Pansy isn't exactly the most graceful thing ever to sit on a broom." Ginny's cheeks began to burn; whether from his touch or his calling her 'sweet,' she didn't know. Pansy huffed indignantly.

"Well, I _never,"_ she said. "Fine, then. Why don't we switch the teams around? Ron and Ginny against me and you, Draco?"

"Hey, you've already called the teams. It isn't fair to change them around like that now."

"Or we could go me and Pansy against you and Gin," Ron suggested, looking at Draco. Draco smirked.

"Now you're just _asking_ for the big hurt," he said, shaking his head. "I've seen your sister fly, and I know how good she is. Are you sure the two of you wouldn't prefer something more painless?" Pansy turned to Ron.

"You'd really be willing to fly with me?" she asked. He nodded.

"Sure. Why not? You can't be anywhere near as bad as Hermione was." Ginny burst into giggles at this, and Draco even laughed.

"I remember seeing her during our flying lessons," Pansy said. "Remember, Draco? We used to get the biggest kick out of seeing her try to control her broom." He nodded.

"We did, didn't we? So, when are we planning on this little match?"

"Not any time soon," Pansy said, shuddering. "It's _freezing_ outside." Ron snorted.

"Well, are you a witch, or not?" She blinked, and Draco bit back a smile.

"What?"

"You can charm clothing to keep you warm, you know." She nodded.

"I forgot about that. Well, how about Saturday?" Draco frowned.

"Saturday is the wedding, Pans."

"Oh," she sighed. Ginny cleared her throat.

"So, do you have a date?" she asked innocently. Pansy shook her head.

"Not anymore." Draco raised his eyebrows at her.

"What happened to Zabini?"

"He decided that his work took precedence over me, so I said goodbye."

"Ouch," Ron said, shaking his head. She nodded.

"Why don't you go with him?" Draco suggested, gesturing towards Ron. Pansy's eyes widened in surprise, and Ginny nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, do! It'd be so much fun."

"Well, I suppose- what do you think, Ron? Would you like to be my date and accompany me to a wedding?"

"Isn't that some kind of bad luck, to have your first date be at a wedding?" Ron asked uncertainly. She laughed.

"If you don't want to go, just say so."

"I didn't mean that," he said defensively. "I'd love to go." A smile spread across Ginny's face.

"Oh, won't it be lovely," she said, clapping her hands excitedly. "Now, you _know_ I'm going to make you dance with me." Ron grinned, even though he turned pink.

"Of course. I wouldn't dream of not dancing with my baby sister."

"You do realize that you'll have to dance with me, too, right?" Pansy asked hesitantly, as if saying this would make Ron change his mind about going. He nodded.

"I know."

"And of course, you're going to be hard pressed to tear Ginny away from Draco," Pansy teased, shooting her friend a knowing glance. Ginny blushed.

"I don't know that I'll be dancing _that_ much," she protested weakly. "I'm not a very good dancer."

"You mean you'll dance with your brother in a romantic setting, but not your boyfriend?" Draco asked, the ghost of a smile touching his lips. Ron gaped at the use of the word _boyfriend_, but said nothing. Ginny looked up at Draco and smiled.

"Well, when you put it that way…" he nodded.

"Good, because I hadn't planned on dancing with anyone else."

"Not even Pansy?" Ginny asked.

"Well, yes, her. But now your brother will be there, so I don't have to worry so much about looking out for her."

"Why would you have looked out for me before?" she asked suspiciously.

"Zabini. Can't trust him at all. He's got a sort of… _reputation_, shall we say?" Pansy paled.

"Then why did you let me _date_ him, you great bloody pillock?"

"I wouldn't have let anything happen to you," he said. "You always went to public places on dates, and he would sooner die than mar his image publicly."

Ron snorted. "I always thought he was a pretty boy."

"He does sort of look like a ponce, now that I think about it," Pansy admitted grudgingly. Draco pulled a chair up next to where Ginny was sitting and sat down gently. "So, pick up anything interesting while you were out running errands?" Draco's eyebrows shot up as he looked at his friend.

"What an interesting question," he murmured. "One wonders why you'd be asking something like that."

"Does one?" Pansy asked teasingly. Ginny and Ron exchanged confused glances. "Then perhaps one should take into consideration that some people have sensitive hearing, and can pick up bits of conversation from the hallway." Draco chuckled.

"No, I didn't pick up anything interesting," he admitted, his eyes sparkling. Pansy looked disappointed. "But that's because I found something interesting at home." Her face lit up again and she bounced slightly in her chair.

"Oh," she breathed. "Can I see?"

"Perhaps after dinner," he said. He turned to look at the siblings, who were both staring at the chess board. Ron finally moved, and Ginny frowned at him.

"Ron, quit trying to cheat!"

"What?" he looked affronted. "I didn't cheat!"

"You just moved your pawn _backwards!_ I'd say that's pretty blatant cheating!" She poked her tongue out at him, and he shrugged as he moved his pawn back to its previous position.

"Fine, you caught me. I'm just getting bored with this game."

"Why don't we do something else?" Pansy suggested.

"Like what?" Ron asked, sitting back in his chair. Draco eyed Ginny thoughtfully, and then turned back to Pansy and Ron.

"How about a trip out somewhere? We've still got a bit before dinner, so we'd have plenty of time to go out and back."

"A trip where?" Pansy asked.

"I don't know," he said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "What sounds like fun?"

"Why don't we just go into Hogsmeade and get some butterbeer?" Ron suggested. Ginny laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Like you don't get enough butterbeer as it is," she laughed. "You _live_ off of that stuff!"

"Well, Pansy does too, so I think it's a match made in heaven," Draco teased, noting how red Pansy's face went.

"Or in the Three Broomsticks, if you put it that way," Ginny said, winking at Ron.

"I'm fine with Hogsmeade," Draco said, standing. "Shall we? The sooner we leave, the more time we'll have there."

"I'll just run and get my cloak," Ginny said, rising from her chair.

"Ron, why don't you go with her?" Pansy suggested. "You can see the room she's staying in." Ron looked hesitant, but when Draco said nothing, he nodded and followed Ginny out of the room. Pansy turned to Draco and slapped his arm.

"Ow!" he screeched, chuckling. "Is that all the thanks I get?"

"What in the bloody hell are you doing?"

"Come off of it, Pans. I see the puppy dog eyes you're giving him constantly. You like him."

"I don't even know him," she sniffed, her cheeks still pink.

"Well, be that as it may, you do like him. I can tell. What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, I suppose," she said, relaxing a bit. "Especially since you like his sister."

"I don't _like_ her," he protested.

"I know," she said, the teasing glimmer back in her eyes. "Now, are you gonna show me the ring, or do I have to search you for it?" He peeked out into the hallway to make sure that Ginny wasn't approaching, then ducked back inside the library and shut the door. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet bag, and then dumped the contents into Pansy's open hand.

"Oh, my," she breathed, picking up the engagement ring. There were three large diamonds set in gold, sparkling madly as she turned the ring this way and that to look at it. Another ring had fallen out of the bag as well, and she held it up next to the engagement ring. It was a very thick gold band with intricate swirls engraved on the outside. She stared at Draco. "These must be worth a small fortune by themselves, Draco. Are you sure you want to give these to her?" He took the rings back and dropped them in the velvet bag, and then stuffed the bag into his pocket before answering.

"Yes. They're family heirlooms, and I think she'll appreciate that much more than me going out and buying something for her. Besides, I think the gold band is perfect for her. I'm going to have the inside engraved."

"Are you going to do any of the old binding spells?" Pansy whispered, opening the door and checking the hallway again.

"If she'll agree to them," he nodded. "Even my mother and father cast a few binding spells at their marriage. I'd be willing to bet that her parents did, too, since they're pureblooded."

"Has she questioned you about any of the meetings?"

"Not at all. She seems very accepting of them, and hasn't shown any curiosity about them." Pansy stared at him.

"She's everything you've always said you want, Draco," she said seriously. "Don't screw it up."

"Believe me, I won't. I think I hear footsteps." Pansy nodded.

"So," she said in a normal voice. "You think you can outfly me, do you?" Draco arched an eyebrow.

"Who can't?" Pansy's mouth fell open in mock surprise as Ron and Ginny walked through the door. Draco noticed immediately that Ron looked impoverished next to his sister; Ginny had on fine clothes and her hair was perfectly in place, while Ron had on a threadbare cloak, and his hair was mussed up a great deal.

"Are we ready?" Pansy asked. "Then off we go."


	27. Chapter 27

"Gods, but this place is crowded for a Thursday night," Pansy complained, removing her cloak. Draco pointed to a booth against the far wall.

"There's a table over there." They hurried over to it and slid into the seats; Draco and Ginny sat together facing Ron and Pansy.

"I've never seen it this crowded, except during Quidditch matches," Ginny remarked, looking around. Her eyes fell on a mop of unruly dark hair, and she stiffened. Draco felt her go rigid and followed her gaze. His eyes darkened.

"Potter's here," he murmured. Pansy and Ron both craned their necks to look. Ron snorted derisively.

"And look," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "He's not here with Padma. Big surprise, isn't it, Gin?" Ginny's eyes widened as she saw who Harry's arm was around.

"He's with Hermione now? But you two just broke up two days ago. He must be doing it for show, Ron."

"I don't think so," he said, turning his attention back to his sister. "But then again, I don't care, either. So let's change the subject." Draco eyed Ron thoughtfully.

"It doesn't bother you that Potter's here with your ex-fiancée?"

"It does, and it doesn't," Ron shrugged. "It bothers me a little that it only took two days to move in on her, but I'll get over that. If I still loved her, it would bother me a helluva lot more."

"You have no feelings left for her at all?" Ginny asked.

"Of course I do," Ron said, his ears turning pink. "But not enough to marry her, or to let her keep me from my family."

"Speaking of family," Pansy said, giving Draco a quick glance. "Won't your parents and your brothers be upset when they find out that you've been consorting with the likes of Draco and I?" Draco raised his eyebrows but remained silent.

"I don't think Dad will be too happy about it, but he'll live," Ron said dismissively. "Once he sees that Ginny is happy, he'll be fine. Hell, Mum will probably try and marry her off." Pansy started to laugh, but when Ron shot her a questioning look, she bit her lip and pretended to cough instead.

"Your father and my father loathe each other," Draco said, moving his arm so that it was behind Ginny's shoulders. Immediately her cheeks flushed pink. "But you're telling me that he'd forget their quarrel with each other if he saw that Ginny was happy with me?"

"I think you're giving Dad far too much credit, Ron," Ginny said, shaking her head. "He's stubborn. That's where we get it from, remember?" Ron took a deep swig of the butterbeer that the waitress had just brought, then looked up at her.

"Dad's different, Gin. The war is changing him. Not having his kids around is changing him. I think he'd do damn near anything to keep what's left of the family in tact."

"Hell's bells," Pansy swore softly. All eyes at the table swung to look at her. "Potter just saw us." Draco looked over at Harry's table, not bothering to conceal the fact that he was looking. Harry met his gaze unflinchingly and frowned before he turned and whispered something to Hermione. Draco watched with growing interest as Hermione's eyes fell on Ron and Pansy. She quickly turned away, her face turning scarlet as she did.

"He doesn't seem to mind too much," he drawled calmly. "If he did, I imagine he'd be storming over here and demanding what we thought we were doing here."

"So what should I expect at this wedding?" Ron asked, abruptly changing the subject.

"You should probably expect a lot of strange looks, to begin with," Pansy said, brightening considerably. "I'll bet that everyone will be surprised to see you and your sister there."

"There won't be any trouble if we show up, will there?" he asked, concern seeping into his features.

"Not as long as Pansy and I are with you at all times," Draco said, shaking his head. Ron relaxed a bit.

"What sort of dress is it?" he asked, fidgeting a bit.

"Very formal," Pansy answered. Ron nodded curtly.

"I still have to buy something, so if you'd like to come along with me," Draco offered lazily. "We could pick up something for you as well." Ron carefully considered the offer before answering.

"All right. When?"

"I was going to go tomorrow afternoon."

"That's fine." Ginny watched the exchange silently, wondering where Ron was going to get the sort of money it would take to buy a suitable outfit. She knew that the Malfoys only shopped at the most exclusive, most expensive stores. How was Ron going to be able to purchase anything new?

"What are you doing tomorrow, Ginny?" Pansy asked.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I hadn't really thought about it."

"Why don't you and I get together and do something, since the men are going to go out?" she suggested. Ginny smiled.

"That'd be nice, thanks."

"I told the two of you already," Draco teased, poking Ginny's shoulder gently. "You're not allowed to conspire against me." Pansy batted her eyelashes innocently at him.

"Would we do something like that?"

"Yes, you most certainly would." Pansy laughed, and Ginny smiled.

"Right, and you aren't allowed to tell him any stories about me as a child, Ron," Ginny instructed. Draco chuckled.

"Hey, now. That's not fair."

"It most certainly is," Ginny said sweetly, tilting her face up to smile mischievously at him. "If we can't talk about you, then you can't talk about us." Draco leaned down, stopping when his mouth was almost touching hers, and her smile faded. She waited for him to kiss her, but instead he moved to whisper in her ear.

"But I want to know everything about you." His breath was warm, and it made her shiver. "By the way, it's only fair to tell you that when you look at me like that, it makes me want to forget about the conversation we had this morning." He pulled away and reached for his butterbeer, not missing the telling color of her blush-stained cheeks as he did. Ron and Pansy pretended not to have seen anything, and continued talking.

"So, do you like Quidditch, Pansy?" Ron asked, after clearing his throat. She nodded.

"I do, but I don't really know all of the technical terms or names of plays or anything." Ron shrugged.

"You don't have to know that stuff to enjoy the game. Do you have a favorite team?" Draco shot Pansy a knowing glance and snickered. She turned pink and rolled her eyes.

"Shut _up_, Draco," she said, shaking her head. She turned back to Ron. "He makes fun of my team all the time, mostly because they've never beaten his team before."

"Well, who is it?"

"Promise you won't laugh," she said. He nodded and ran his fingers over his chest in the shape of an X.

"Promise."

She took a deep breath before muttering, "The Chudley Cannons." Ron's mouth fell open, and his eyes brightened considerably.

"You're kidding," he breathed. She shook her head. "That's been my favorite team since I was little."

"Really?" Pansy asked, a smile spreading across her face. Ron nodded. He was seeing Pansy in a whole new light; Hermione had never cared for flying, let alone Quidditch – but here was Pansy, a girl after his own heart.

"Would you like to go out sometime?" he blurted. His ears immediately turned scarlet, and Ginny gaped at him. Draco arched an eyebrow, amused at the turn of events. Pansy nodded.

"Yes." Ron looked considerably relieved. "Don't you consider us going to the wedding as going out?"

"I hadn't thought of it that way," he admitted. "What about tomorrow night?"

"Sure," she breathed, smiling. He grinned at her, then reached for his butterbeer.

"Wait," Draco said, shaking his head. "So, you and I are going shopping tomorrow afternoon," he said, gesturing between the two of them. "And then tomorrow night you're taking Pansy out?" Ron nodded.

"I guess so."

"Is there a problem with that?" Pansy asked, frowning. Draco shook his head.

"Since we're all going to be spending the day together in one way or another anyway, why don't we go out together tomorrow night?"

"You wouldn't mind sharing Ginny with us?" Pansy teased. Draco smirked.

"Ginny is staying at _my house_ right now, remember, Pans? I can spend all the time I want alone with her." Ginny hid her grin behind her hand as Ron narrowed his eyes at Draco.

"I hope you're not saying that you'd do anything _improper_ with my sister," he said testily. Draco stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing. Harry and Hermione turned and stared at them incredulously.

"You're worried that I'm going to try and ravish her?" he laughed. Ron frowned. Pansy and Ginny exchanged puzzled looks.

"Why is that funny?" Pansy asked.

"I'm just amused that he's so concerned about her. No, Weasley, I wouldn't dare try anything that would call her virtue into question." Ron looked confused for a moment.

"He means he's not going to try to have sex with me," Ginny reassured him. Ron's mouth dropped open, and Pansy roared with laughter. Draco was laughing so hard that tears were squeezing out of the corners of his eyes.

"Ginevra Weasley!" Ron hissed, scandalized. "I can't believe you'd say something like that in a public place!"

"What did I say?" she asked innocently, taking a sip of her butterbeer.

"As fun as this has been," Pansy began. "I think we'd better be getting back to the Manor. I'd like to freshen up a bit before dinner."

"That sounds like a plan," Draco said, reaching into his pocket for money. Ginny held her hand out and shook her head.

"Let me." She placed some money on the table and stood. Pansy watched Draco direct an adoring gaze at Ginny before his expression closed off again, and she sighed. It was good to know that her best friend was finally happy again.

Ginny reached for her cloak, but Draco already had it in his hands. She turned her back to him and let him place it around her shoulders, not missing the fact that his hands lingered a little too long on them than was proper.

When the quartet had left the Three Broomsticks, Harry turned to Hermione with a worried look. "It's worse than I thought, Hermione. I can see that there's no going back now. We're going to have to take drastic measures."

"Like what?" she asked, holding out her hands. "It's not like he's just going to hand them over, if he's using them for something. And they looked pretty happy to me, Harry, so I don't think they'd come to us willingly."

"I don't care what they want anymore," he said angrily. "They've deserted us, and they've deserted the Order. We have to do something for our own safety." She searched his face for any signs of what he was thinking.

"Are you suggesting that we're just going to let them go to Malfoy's side?"

"Not without taking care of some things first."

"Like what?"

"They're both extremely dangerous to us at this point, and you know it just as well as I do. They know all of the Order's weaknesses, and they've both been included in all of the top secret information Dumbledore's trusted us with."

"What are you suggesting, Harry?" she asked, with no small amount of trepidation. Harry's expression hardened.

"We're going to have to modify their memories." Hermione looked horrified.

"No!" she shook her head vehemently. "You know what kind of side effects memory charms have, and the kind that you'd need to use on Ginny and Ron –" she swallowed hard. "Well, I know that you'd wind up probably damaging them permanently!"

"That's why I'm not going to perform the charm – you are." Hermione snorted.

"And just how, exactly, do you think either of them is going to let me close enough to them to do it? They'd know what I was about to do the second I opened my mouth."

"Not if you stun them from behind before you do it. They don't have to be awake for the charm to take effect."

"They do for that strong of a charm!" she protested. "I'd have to look both of them in the eye while I erased their memory." She looked saddened. "I'd be erasing all of Ron's memories of us together."

"They might know what you were doing while you were performing the charm, but afterwards they wouldn't know what had happened. Think about it, Hermione. You could have Ron back. Things could be like they were before Ginny left us." Hermione's expression softened, and Harry felt a wave of triumph.

"Fine, you get them to me, and I'll do it."


	28. Chapter 28

"Do you like my brother?" Ginny blurted. Pansy looked surprised, and then blushed profusely. She turned back to the mirror and began reapplying her lip gloss. She and Ginny had retreated to Ginny's room to freshen up, while the men remained in the library.

"I think there's potential there," Pansy shrugged. Ginny bit her lip to hide her knowing grin.

"You_ do_ like him, don't you?" Pansy couldn't help herself, and a giggle escaped her.

"Yes, but don't tell him that," she whispered.

Ginny smiled. "I won't. He must really like you, too." She went back to checking her reflection, and Pansy turned to her.

"Why?"

"Usually he's too afraid to ask girls out. When he and Hermione got together, she had to ask him out." Pansy's mouth turned up into a stupid smile, and Ginny laughed.

"And you know that Draco's totally in love with you, too, right?"

Ginny blushed. "Love is a strong word," she chided gently. "He hasn't known me long enough to love me." Pansy stared at her.

"You think it's too soon for him to be in love?" she asked curiously. Ginny nodded. "Well then, how do you feel about him?"

"I-" her voice died. Pansy nodded smugly.

"That's what I thought. It's not too bloody soon, because you're head over heels for him, too."

"I don't know," she said quietly. "How do I know for sure?"

"When you look at him, do you feel like your stomach has been invaded with butterflies?"

"Yes, until he gets close, and then the feeling changes," she said honestly. "I feel totally at ease with him. Unless he touches me," she said, blushing.

"And how do you feel then?"

"Like I'm burning," she said, averting her eyes in embarrassment. "I get hot and shaky."

"You're in love," Pansy said gently. "Don't fight it. He cares about you, too, or he wouldn't act the way he does around you."

"What do you mean?"

"He pulls chairs out for you when you sit down. He put his arm around you. He stares at you when he thinks you're not looking."

"He does?"

"Yes, he does. I'm surprised you haven't caught him doing it. Besides, if he didn't care about you, he would have just slept with you and told you to leave."

"He doesn't strike me as that type."

"I'm glad you're here, Ginny," Pansy said, the honesty welling up inside of her. "Draco has been so unhappy for so long. He needed someone to come and be his friend, and he needed that person to be someone who wouldn't judge him for his past. Not to mention that I'm glad to have you as a friend, too. It's hard for me to keep friends that are girls."

"Why?" Pansy shrugged.

"Most girls aren't interested in the same things that I'm interested in. I like Quidditch and flying, and I love creatures. Has Draco told you about his Runespoor?" she asked excitedly.

"He's shown it to me already."

"What?" Pansy's eyes widened. "He _showed_ it to you? As in, he took you to the stables?"

"Yes. Why, is something wrong?"

"No," Pansy said, looking awed. "He's just very selective about who he takes out there."

_"You've_ been out there, though, right?" Pansy shook her head.

"I meant what I said, Ginny. He cares about you, a lot. He even said he was going to dance with you at the wedding!"

"What's so special about that?" Ginny laughed.

"Draco Malfoy does _not_ dance, unless his mother forces him to dance with her. For him to do it willingly is a big deal. You know, I'd love it if you'd stick around a while."

"I am," Ginny said, nodding. "I'm staying with the Malfoys for a month."

"And what a month it will be!" Pansy declared, smiling. Ginny laughed and let Pansy link arms with her as they made their way back towards the library. When they got there, Ginny wasn't at all surprised to see that the men had started in on a game of chess. Draco looked up as the girls walked through the door, and when he saw their linked arms, gave a heavy sigh.

"I knew that it was a bad idea to let the two of you be alone together. Before I know it, you'll overthrow me and just keep to yourselves." Pansy let go of Ginny to pat Draco's cheek.

"I would never take Drakie-poo's ickle Ginnykins away from him," she cooed. Ron's head shot up, and he started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Draco asked.

"He probably thinks it's funny that I'm being called Ginnykins, since everyone else calls him ickle Ronniekins." Ron stopped laughing, which made Ginny smile.

"So, who's winning?" Pansy asked, glancing at the board. Both of the men were silent, and Pansy and Ginny exchanged silent glances over their heads. Draco caught their shared look and sighed.

"They're even giving each other looks now," he lamented to Ron.

Ron sniggered. "Women," he muttered.

"Please," Ginny said, rolling her eyes. She started to sit down on the small sofa across from the men, but Draco caught her eye and patted the arm of the chair he was in. She blushed, but perched herself on the spot he'd indicated. Pansy hid her smile, and Ron ignored them.

"So," Pansy said, clearing her throat. She pulled up a chair and sat down beside Ron, whose ears turned crimson when her knee accidentally brushed his.

"Mmm?" Draco murmured, eyeing the board.

"Tell us more about your family," Pansy said, nodding at Ron. He raised his eyebrows.

"Are you trying to distract me so Malfoy can win?" he asked suspiciously. Draco didn't even look up as he answered.

"She doesn't _need_ to distract me, Weasley. I can beat you with my eyes closed."

"Naked male insecurity really bores me. Doesn't it bore you, Ginny?" Pansy asked dryly, faking a yawn. Ron gave her a half smile, and she winked at him. Ginny giggled.

"Perhaps the two of you might like to be alone," Draco mused quietly. Pansy and Ron blushed, and Ginny averted her eyes.

"Perhaps you and Ginny might like to be alone," Pansy teased back. Draco arched an eyebrow and looked at her.

"I thought you'd never ask. You're dismissed; I no longer wish to share my girlfriend with you."

Pansy laughed. "You'll have her to yourself soon enough," she said, wagging her finger. "I'm leaving after dinner, and I'm taking Ron with me." Ron looked up, interested.

"Oh?"

"Indeed," she said, nodding. "I'm going to kidnap you for the evening. What say you to that, Ron Weasley?" His cheeks turned pink, but he grinned.

"I say kidnap away." Ginny covered her mouth with her hand and faked a cough to prevent her laugh from escaping. Ron turned his eyes back to the chess board.

"Malfoy, I believe my sister might benefit from some mouth-to-mouth right about now. Please don't make Pansy or I do it." Draco looked almost as surprised as Ginny. Ron calmly moved a game piece as Pansy cackled.

_"Ron!"_ Ginny said, astonished. Draco turned to Ginny and grinned.

"You heard the man. Do you need mouth-to-mouth?" Ginny turned crimson.

"No, I most certainly do not!" Draco looked disappointed.

"She'll be begging for it when we're gone," Ron commented. Ginny looked shocked again, and Draco roared with laughter.

"What in the world has gotten into you, Ronald Weasley?"

"He's spent too much time around Draco today. His humor rubs off like that," Pansy said, giggling. Just then, Narcissa appeared at the door.

"It's time for dinner," she said pleasantly, smiling particularly brightly at her son. Draco looked up and nodded.

"We'll be right there, Mother." She nodded and disappeared back into the hallway. Ron and Pansy stood, and to his surprise, Pansy linked her arm through his. She guided him out of the room and down the hallway, leaving Draco and Ginny alone in the library. Ginny rose from the arm of the chair, intent on leaving, but Draco reached out and grabbed her wrist. He tugged a bit, causing her to lose her balance and fall onto his lap. She blushed a deep red color, and he smiled softly at her.

"I haven't been alone with you since this morning," he said softly. "Promise me that when they leave, you'll spend some time with me." She nodded.

"I will."

"Good." He leaned down and pressed his lips gently against hers, and she gave a soft sigh. When he pulled away, his eyes were dark. She stared at him for a moment, then stood and waited for him to get up. He rose from the chair and reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers.

"It's been a good day," he commented, leading her out into the hallway.

"It has," she agreed. "I think my brother has taken to Pansy rather quickly."

"She'll be all over the poor bloke as soon as she gets him out of here," he laughed. Ginny smiled at him as they entered the dining room. She noticed that Lucius and Narcissa were already in their spots, and her eyes darted quickly to Ron. He was talking to Pansy, and didn't look in the least bit rattled by their presence. He looked up as she sat down and smiled at her.

"It's nice to have you with us, Ronald," Narcissa said, smiling at him. Ron grinned in response.

"Everyone has made me feel very welcome." Ginny stared at him, wondering when her bumbling brother had been replaced by this person, who had a definite air of confidence. Lucius smiled at him.

"That's good to hear. Tell me, is your family well?"

"Everyone in it that matters is, Sir," Ron said pleasantly. Ginny blinked, and then turned to Draco with a questioning glance. He leaned close enough to whisper in her ear.

"I'll explain later." She nodded, satisfied that there was an explanation, and that Draco was going to share it with her.

"Excellent," Lucius said, nodding. "Now, shall we enjoy the wonderful meal that the house elves have prepared for us?" The meal passed with amicable conversation, and Ginny remained totally amazed at Ron's apparent ease with the entire Malfoy family present. After dinner, they shared coffee and brandy in the parlor.

"Thank you for the lovely meal," Pansy said, standing. "It's been a wonderful evening. I'm sure I'll see you both tomorrow, as Draco has invited us back over to spend some time with he and Ginny." She bent down and hugged Narcissa gently, then nodded to Lucius, who smiled at her. Ron stood and offered his hand to Lucius. Ginny watched incredulously as Ron shook the hand of a known Death Eater – a man who had, at the moment, a very handsome price on his head, courtesy of Ron's own best friend, Harry Potter.

"Thank you for having me over."

"You're most welcome any time you choose to visit," Lucius said graciously.

"Perhaps you'd like to walk your brother and Pansy out, Ginevra?" Narcissa suggested. Ginny nodded and followed Ron out into the hallway.

"What's going on?" she whispered. "Why didn't you freak out at dinner, or go all weird in there?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"That's Lucius Malfoy," she hissed. "I know what kind of a reward Harry's offering for his capture! You're not planning on turning him in, are you?" Ron snorted and rolled his eyes as he pulled his cloak on. Pansy remained silent and pulled her own cloak on.

"No, I'm not."

"Then what's going on?" Ron sighed and turned to look at her. He gripped her shoulders lightly and met her eyes.

"Malfoy said some things to me in the library that made me rethink my stance on things," he explained slowly. "I know you're happy here. They've obviously been good to you, or you wouldn't want to stay. I'm not going to jeopardize your happiness by being rude to your host." Ginny stared at him, awed.

"You are the best big brother in the entire world," she gushed, squeezing him in a tight hug. "Thank you for understanding."

"No, thank _you_ for giving me a chance to make things right between us." He squeezed her back, then pulled away and smiled. "But that doesn't mean that he and I are going to be best friends – you do realize that, don't you?" She smiled.

"I know. Thanks anyway." "I love you, Ginnykins," he said, grinning. She rolled her eyes. "Get him out of here," she told Pansy, laughing. Pansy smiled and linked her arm through Ron's.

"Ready?"


	29. Chapter 29

Ginny waited for Ron and Pansy to disappear through the front door, then turned to find Draco smirking at her. She arched an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. "Now can you tell me what's going on?"

"Your brother and I had a somewhat enlightening, if not unusual, bit of conversation while you and Pansy were gone." Ginny tapped her foot impatiently, making Draco chuckle.

"Well? I want to know what was said to make him behave that way. Ron has never been so polite in his entire life, and especially not around enemies."

"What?" Draco looked affronted as he moved forward and slid his arms around her waist. Her expression softened immediately. "Who said we're enemies?"

"I do."

"Why?" he murmured, watching her intently.

"Only because the two of you have hated each other since before you met," she offered weakly. His thumbs were tracing slow circles on the small of her back, making her shiver slightly.

"People change," he whispered, brushing his lips lightly against hers. "Especially when there's a loved one involved."

"Oh," she breathed, letting her eyes flutter closed. He dropped another light kiss on her lips, then another, and another. After several moments of this, she was starting to get light-headed and frustrated; the feathery kisses were wonderful, but she was starting to want one with a little more substance. Just as she was wondering if she should deepen the kiss, she felt his tongue sweep across her mouth, begging entrance.

She opened herself to him with a sigh of relief, then slid her arms around his neck. He groaned and kissed her hard before pulling away and burying his face in the crook of her neck. She could feel him trembling as he held her.

"We can't keep doing this," he whispered against her neck. Gooseflesh arose on her skin from the contact. "Every time we're alone, all I want to do is touch you."

"I'm sorry," she breathed, her eyes still closed. She was trying to savor the sensation of his breath tickling her neck as he spoke.

"Are you?" he asked, pulling away to look at her. He examined her face, then gave her a highly amused smile. "I don't think you are."

"Fine, I'm not," she admitted, smiling back. He chuckled, then let go of her to grab her hand. He turned and began walking down the hallway, tugging gently on her hand to indicate that she should follow him. "Where are we going?"

"To the library."

"And what exactly are we going to do in there?" she asked curiously. He turned and smirked at her as they walked.

"Nothing improper," he assured her. "A bit of light reading, perhaps? Or a game of chess?"

"The board is still set up for the game you were playing against Ron," she reminded him. He stopped and gave her a thoughtful look.

"Right, I'd already forgotten. I expect we'll want to continue the game tomorrow night, too." She squeezed his hand gently.

"Thank you." He looked confused.

"For what?"

"For being so nice to my brother," she explained quietly. "I know you don't have to, but it means a lot to me that you're doing it anyway." He reached out and stroked her cheek gently.

"You're welcome. He's really not that much of a sodding prat when you get to know him." She snorted.

"Yes, he is," she said. He laughed. "But that's why I love him. He and I have always been close – at least, until he and Hermione got together." Draco started walking again, and she followed him.

"Granger stole all of his time, did she?"

"More than I thought was possible," she nodded. "She was like a leech, sucking all of his energy and happiness away." At this, Draco stopped again and turned to look at her in surprise.

"He wasn't happy to be marrying her?"

"I think it's possible that he was, deep down. Things between them were becoming strained, though. At least, I think so. Hermione and Harry are both Ministry employees, and Ron wasn't able to get on at the Ministry, even with Dad's connections there, and I think it made him feel even more inferior to the both of him than he already felt." They were standing in front of Ginny's bedroom door, and she pushed it open and led him inside without thinking about it. He let go of her hand and sat down in a large, plush armchair, and she sat on the bed.

"It's not difficult to have an inferiority complex next to Potter," he said bitterly. She blinked.

"I don't understand why," she mused, shaking her head. "I mean, consider Harry's life. He was raised by an abusive family, and was lied to for the first eleven years of his life about who he really was. Then he was thrust into the Wizarding world with no prior knowledge of it, and was immediately hailed as a hero for something he didn't even consciously do." Draco stared at her.

"You sound as though you've given this quite a bit of thought."

"I have," she admitted, nodding.

"Well, don't expect me to feel sorry for him," he said, shaking his head. "He gets everything he wants handed to him, and he never has to worry about consequences when he does things."

"Of course he doesn't," she reasoned. "Not as long as Hermione and Ron are there to help back him up." Draco's eyes widened slightly.

"Are you trying to inadvertently discuss Potter's weaknesses with me?" His voice belied his amusement. She shrugged, smiling.

"Not really," she said. "I should think that anyone would be able to see his weakness without really trying to." Draco puzzled over this statement for a moment, feeling sure that she was trying to tell him something that he was overlooking, then shook his head in an attempt to clear it.

"Do you know how very tempting it is to be in your bedroom with you? And alone, at that?" She blushed.

"No more tempting than it is to be alone with you in a bedroom," she answered, forcing herself to meet his eyes. He arched an eyebrow, then moved to sit beside her on the bed. He lay back and rested his head on her pillow, then held his arms open, beckoning to her. Without hesitation, she curled up beside him, resting her cheek on his chest. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Does your brother have enough money to buy something suitable for the wedding?" Draco asked softly. Ginny closed her eyes and snuggled closer against him.

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I can't imagine where he would get the money. But he can spend the money I have saved up." Draco frowned.

"The money you have saved up?" he repeated curiously.

"Mmm hmm," she murmured sleepily. "I have some money saved up in Gringott's. I saved it in case of an emergency."

"How much do you have saved?"

"Not much, only about three thousand galleons." Draco gasped.

"You don't consider that a lot of money?"

"Not when compared to what _you_ consider a lot of money," she said.

"It must have taken you a long time to save it all," he commented, wondering if she'd always be so open when in a sleepy state.

"Not really. Once I realized that people would pay for an accurate Ceromantic reading, I started charging for them."

"You earned your money by doing readings?" he asked, even more astonished than he had been moments before. She nodded against his chest, then yawned. He smoothed her hair back away from her face, his mind racing as he listened to her breathing steady. She was turning out to be more of a surprise than he'd originally thought. She had her own money; no wonder she'd never asked to be repaid for the items she'd purchased for his mother last week. But if she had all of that money, why didn't she live in a nicer flat? Why didn't she have better clothes? She hadn't even owned a warm cloak when he'd seen her that night outside the café; he'd had to purchase one for her. Ginny Weasley was a mystery, indeed. He closed his eyes and rubbed her arm gently until he drifted off to sleep.

Hermione rubbed her eyes as she trudged to her front door to peek through the eyehole. Whoever it was that had woken her up from a happy dream about her wedding had better have a damned good reason for doing so. She cracked her eye open to peer through the hole, then unfastened the locks on her door.

"Harry, it's two o'clock in the morning," she said, yawning. He nodded and pushed his way into her flat, closing and locking the door behind him. She watched as he performed several silencing charms, and then flopped down on her couch.

"I know it's late," he said apologetically. "And I wouldn't be bothering you if it wasn't something important." She sat down wearily in an armchair and waited for him to continue. "I've been racking my brain, trying to figure out a way to get Ginny away from both Ron and the Malfoys so we can fix things."

"And?"

"We're just going to have to work on getting her out of the Manor as our first directive."

"Harry, you know we can't get onto the grounds. Lucius Malfoy has had the entire property charmed since before Draco was born so that Ministry employees can't so much as touch a blade of grass without him knowing."

"I know," he growled, massaging his temples. "So how do we trick Ginny into leaving, without bringing one of her new friends?"

"I don't know that we can," she answered back. Harry glared at her, and she shrugged. "You were there; you saw how Malfoy is romancing her! If she was starving for attention and he's somehow deluded her into thinking he cares about her, she's not going to want to leave him."

"We've got to make sure that we keep tabs on Ron, too. Got to make sure that he's nowhere near when she leaves the Manor, so he can't follow her and try to do something stupid."

"I can invite her to lunch or something," she suggested weakly. "But I'm not sure if she'd accept. She's got to have some kind of positive proof that you won't be anywhere near us when we're supposed to be getting together." He frowned.

"Would you be able to handle her if I wasn't nearby?"

"Of course I could," she said, stiffening. "Harry, don't talk down to me like that. I'm irritable and I'm just not in the mood for it. You know very well what I'm capable of."

He grinned at her. "I know. I just wanted to make sure you realized it, too. All right – you invite her to lunch, and I'll figure out a way to distract Ron. I'm going to have him followed for the next day or so, to see if there's a discernible pattern to his outings or anything, and then you can set a date to meet with her."

"Fine," she said, waving her hand dismissively. She stood and turned to go to her room, but he called after her.

"Hermione, you know that we're doing this for the good of everyone, don't you?" She turned slowly and stared at him.

"Are we, Harry? Are we truly thinking of everyone's best interests, or are we just thinking of ourselves?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm trying to tell myself that we mean well, but it's not working. I know deep down that I'm only doing it to get Ron back. What you have to ask yourself is why are you doing it, Harry? If Ginny is really happy where she is, why are you trying to end it all?"

She turned without waiting for his answer and went back to bed. He stared after her for several moments, and then headed out into the cold November night.

"I'm doing it to save my own ass," he muttered into the whipping wind. "And to save yours."


	30. Chapter 30

When Draco awoke, the first thing he was conscious of was the warm body curled up against his. He smiled sleepily, pulling her closer to him. During the night they had shifted together so that they were both lying on their sides; her back was pressed against his chest. His arm was draped possessively over her slumbering form, and he sighed happily. He hadn't meant to fall asleep beside her in her room – it wasn't something that either of his parents would have approved of, had they known about it – but he had enjoyed every second of it thoroughly. They were both still fully clothed, after all, and they hadn't done anything but sleep.

Draco snickered softly. Who would have ever thought that, left alone with an attractive girl, all he'd want to do was hold her while she slept? He stopped laughing and closed his eyes, hugging her tighter. He did want to touch her; that was obvious enough. He wanted to kiss her and so much more, but that would come. For now, holding her was enough. The fact that she had trusted him not to take advantage of her was maddening. She must have a great deal of faith in him, was all he could figure. The thought that anyone other than his parents should have that kind of faith in him was amazing.

He resolved to propose to her soon. It couldn't be today, because the day was already planned out. It couldn't be tomorrow, because that was the wedding. His eyes flew open wide. The wedding! Wouldn't going to a wedding put her in a romantic mood? Surely it would; a day full of romance and dancing, and then at the end of the night, he could propose to her under the stars. He smiled to himself as he imagined the scene he would create for her.

He would dance with her at the wedding, creating the groundwork for the rest of the evening. He would pull out his father's old flying carpet and fly her over the lake that was on the back of the Malfoy property, then present her with a bouquet of roses from his mother's special garden. After that, he would read her a poem he'd written himself (hadn't she said she considered that romantic?), and then he'd get down on one knee and ask her to be his wife.

It would be perfect.

At that moment, Ginny began to stir. She mumbled something unintelligible, then yawned. Draco chuckled softly, and she froze in surprise. When she realized who it was, she relaxed and snuggled back against him. He squeezed her tight.

"Morning," he whispered.

"Morning," she whispered back. "I guess we fell asleep together, huh?"

"Are you upset?" She shook her head.

"It's nice to be with you as soon as I wake up," she admitted softly. His heart swelled. What she didn't say was that he was the first thing she thought about upon waking up, anyway, so waking up beside the real thing was infinitely better. "I hope I didn't kick you, or anything."

He chuckled again. "I don't think you did. I'm a fitful sleeper; if anyone got kicked, it was probably you." She giggled.

"I'll promise to forgive you if you promise you'll forgive me."

"Deal," he said, smiling. "So, how about some breakfast?" She sighed heavily, and then rolled over to face him.

"So anxious to get out of bed," she teased. His cheeks turned a light pink, and she smiled. He was embarrassed!

"Not really," he admitted. "But if we don't, I shudder to think how Pansy and your brother might react when they arrive and find us still here." At this, Ginny sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"I have a feeling that Pansy would be a lot more forgiving than my brother would be," she said, stretching. She stood and went into the bathroom to begin her morning ministrations. He propped his head up on his hand and stared at the bathroom door.

"Why is he so protective of you?"

"I'm the only girl," she called. "Not to mention that I'm the baby. All of my brothers have always been overprotective of me – especially Ron. He and I have always been close, since we're only a year apart in age."

"That's understandable," he said, nodding. He watched as she emerged from the bathroom and went to the closet to look for an outfit. "Why don't you wear your jeans today?" he suggested. She turned and arched an eyebrow at him.

"Jeans? Are you sure it'd be okay?" He nodded.

"We're going out, and you should be comfortable while you do it."

"Are you wearing jeans?"

"I don't own any jeans," he said, shaking his head. She stared.

"You don't own any jeans," she echoed, dumbfounded.

"No, I don't. But really, you should wear yours, and be comfortable. I'm sure Pansy won't try to dress up until she sees your brother later this evening." Ginny turned and reached for her jeans. She chose a purple long-sleeved shirt, and then pulled a black long-sleeved shirt out as well. She held them both up in front of her and turned to Draco.

"Which one should I wear?" He considered the shirts, then pointed to her left side.

"The black one. Accentuates your hair better." She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Yes, because it just doesn't stand out enough, does it?" He blinked.

"I like your hair."

"Quit teasing me."

"I'm not teasing you."

"You _hate_ my hair. You've told me since the day you met me that you hate the Weasley red."

"Your hair isn't the same color as your family's hair anymore," he said, frowning. "It's more… it's sort of a … it looks like copper." She turned to see if he was teasing her, but she found no trace of amusement on his face.

"All right," she said softly, putting the purple shirt back. His eyes followed her as she went into the bathroom to change. "Aren't you uncomfortable out there, knowing that I'm in here changing?"

"Not really," he said. It was a partial truth; he was very comfortable being around her, no matter what she was doing. On the other hand, he wanted nothing more than to barrel into the bathroom and remove her clothes himself. He grinned at the thought, and she stepped back into the room. Her face was scrubbed clean, she'd brushed her teeth, and she was dressed. "You look good in jeans."

"Are you saying that I don't look good in dressy clothes, or are you saying that you just like the way my lower half looks in jeans?" she teased. He laughed.

"I like the way you look in jeans." She blushed, which only made him laugh harder.

"When is Ron supposed to be here?" she asked, attempting to change the subject.

"Around ten, I believe." Ginny turned and glanced at the clock that hung on the wall.

"It's almost nine thirty. We slept late."

"It's nice to sleep in on occasion, is it not?" She nodded, smiling to herself as she did. She found that it was nicer to sleep in when there was someone next to her to sleep in _with._ He noticed her amused expression and raised his eyebrows at her. "We're not thinking improper thoughts are we, Miss Weasley?"

"Why, of course not, Mister Malfoy," she said, dropping him a quick curtsey. He laughed, and then got up off of the bed. He moved close to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, dropping a light kiss on her lips.

"I love it when you're impertinent," he whispered. She laughed.

"You'd better go get ready for Ron," she said. "He's notorious for being early."

"He is? That's unusual. I thought he was notorious for being late."

"He used to be, before Hermione told him that she'd never let him touch her again if he was late one more time." Draco clucked his tongue.

"He was really in love with her, wasn't he?"

"I don't believe he was," she said, shaking her head. "I think, more than anything else, he was flattered that she had feelings for him. He was flattered that she could have liked Harry, but instead she liked him. And I think that he probably enjoyed the physical relationship as well."

"You think they were together because he was afraid of being alone?" She nodded. "Then what's to stop him from being with Pansy just because he doesn't want to be alone?"

"Nothing, except that I think he really likes her."

"What? Why do you think that?"

"The way he looks at her. The way he talks to her. The way he keeps finding little ways to touch her on accident. I've never seen him look at Hermione the way he looked at Pansy last night."

"Interesting," he murmured.

"Aren't you cute, playing the matchmaker," she laughed. He grinned.

"I'd better get going and change," he said, letting go of her reluctantly. She nodded.

"Have fun."

"I'll have a lot more fun when I'm back here with you." She turned scarlet and laughed softly.

"You're a shameless flatterer."

"And you like it."

"Guilty," she nodded. He grinned. "Do you want me to give you the key to my vault, so you can get some money for Ron to use?"

"No need. My treat." She stared at him.

"You do realize that he won't accept anything as long as he knows it's coming from you, right?"

"Well, I'll pay for everything and tell him you gave me the money for his things."

"That's very sweet of you," she said, smiling.

"What can I say, I'm a sweet guy." She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.

"You are."

"I'll see you after lunch. Try not to let Pansy lead you too far astray," he teased, disappearing through the door and into the hallway.

"Where would you like to have lunch?" Pansy asked as she pulled her cloak tight around her. Ginny looked up and down the street that they were on, and pointed to a small restaurant near Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"How about that place? I've never been in there before." Pansy nodded and began walking towards the restaurant.

"Do you think your brother will be all right alone with Draco?" she asked, holding the door open for Ginny. They went inside and found a small table near the front window of the restaurant.

"I'm not sure. I think so," she answered, removing her cloak. "Draco was certainly acting like he'd be nice to him, and with Ron's behavior last night, I think that it's entirely possible that they might be able to learn to get along."

"What can I get for you ladies this afternoon?" The waitress smiled at them.

"Just soup for me, thanks," Pansy said. "And a glass of water."

"I'd like the same, but with an order of bread on the side," Ginny said. The waitress nodded and walked away from the table, then returned with two glasses of water. "This is going to sound like a really odd question, but do you know what size pants Draco wears?" Pansy spluttered, then wiped her chin with a napkin.

"Now that is an interesting thing to want to know, indeed," Pansy said, after she had regained her composure. There was a wicked sparkle in her eyes as she watched Ginny blush. "Care to share why you'd like to know?"

"It's nothing… just a joke, really." Ginny took a sip of water and hoped that Pansy would let it drop. Pansy arched an eyebrow and leaned forward.

"I'll tell you what size if you'll let me in on the joke," she whispered conspiratorially. Ginny laughed despite her embarrassment.

"Well, he told me to wear my jeans today, and I asked why, and we just sort of joked back and forth about it. That's all it was, really." Pansy looked a little disappointed.

"Oh," she said. Then her face brightened. "He likes the way your butt looks in jeans!" She cackled gleefully, and Ginny blushed, even though she was laughing.

"Pansy," she chided gently. "So, how did things go with my brother last night?" Pansy's laughter subsided and it was her turn to blush. Ginny's mouth dropped open. "Oh, Gods, Pansy! What did the two of you do that's making you blush like that? You're as red as an apple!"

"We spent the night together," she said, a huge smile spreading across her face. Ginny gasped.

"You _what?"_

"Oh, we didn't do anything," Pansy added quickly, shaking her head. "I mean, we did, just not what you think we did."

"What did you do?"

"We talked. We talked for a long time, actually. We walked around outside and looked at the stars. And then he kissed me."

"He kissed you? Aww, that's so romantic! Under the stars," Ginny sighed.

Pansy giggled. "I think he'd been trying to work up the courage to do it all day, and then when he finally did it, I think I surprised him by kissing him back like I did."

"I'm sure he enjoyed it," Ginny laughed. The waitress brought their orders and sat them down on the table. "Now, I believe you promised me some information?"

"Fine," Pansy said, smiling. "Am I to understand that you're going to buy Draco some jeans?"

"You don't think he'd be offended, do you?" Ginny asked, buttering a steaming slice of bread.

"I think he'd be flattered," Pansy said. "And I can't wait to see his face when you give them to him."

"Are you sure that Ginny has enough money for all of these things?" Ron asked uncertainly, hefting a large pile of designer clothes onto the counter. Draco nodded.

"That's what she said." Ron looked uncomfortable for another moment, then held his hand out. Draco stared at it, then looked at Ron. "What?"

"I'm trying to shake your hand, you pompous ass," Ron said, grinning. Draco took Ron's proffered hand and shook it. "I wasn't sure how to deal with the news that my sister was in love with you," Draco's head shot up and he stared at Ron, who went on, oblivious. "But I see now that she's happy and your family is being good to her, and that's more than I could ask for her."

"In love with me?" he asked, startled. Ron blinked.

"Well, yeah," he said, nodding. "Didn't you know that already?" Draco shook his head slowly, and Ron cursed under his breath.

"How do you know how she feels about me?" Draco asked, as he handed the money for the clothes to the clerk.

"Pansy talked to her yesterday. You know – girl talk," Ron said, wrinkling his nose. "And she told me what Gin said about you."

"Are you going to tell me, or not?"

"Are you sure you want to know? It's pretty disgusting," Ron said. Draco snorted.

"Just tell me."

"Well well, isn't this just cozy?" Draco and Ron both looked up, surprised to see Harry standing in front of the door. Padma Patil was behind him, her eyes as wide as saucers. Ron's expression turned cold, as did Draco's, and Harry would have sworn that they were related, had he not known better.

"Potter," Draco drawled lazily. "What a surprise to see you in this store. Is it possible that you've finally developed some taste?" He noticed Padma holding a shopping bag, and chuckled. "No, of course not. Your girlfriend is the one with the good taste." Harry glared at him.

"Aren't you going to say hello, Ron?" Harry asked coldly. Ron's glare shot daggers at Harry, chilling him to the core.

"Not if I can help it," Ron answered gruffly. Harry blinked in surprise as Ron elbowed past him. He turned back to Draco, who was chuckling.

"You have absolutely no social skills, Potter. By the way, in case you were still following us, we're going to Madame Malkin's next, and then we're going to get some lunch at the Three Broomsticks. After that you'll be alone, since we're going back to the Manor to meet the girls. Ciao." He turned and walked leisurely out of the shop, and Harry stared after him, astounded by his bravado.

"How did he know you were following him?" Padma asked curiously.

"I don't know," Harry snapped. "Be quiet so I can think." Padma looked stung but said nothing. Harry just stared after Draco and Ron, watching them through the store's window until they had disappeared from sight.


	31. Chapter 31

"I think the boys are back," Pansy said excitedly. She examined herself in the mirror one last time, and then turned to face Ginny. "You look so good in yellow." Ginny was wearing a pale yellow long-sleeved shirt paired with her jeans.

"Thanks," she said, smiling. She reached for the bag that held two items she'd purchased that afternoon for Draco – a pair of jeans and a gold ID bracelet. She'd thought of him immediately when she'd seen the bracelet, but had been hesitant about buying it. After some cajoling from Pansy, she'd purchased it and had his name engraved on it. "Do you really think-"

"He'll love them," Pansy said. Ginny laughed.

"And I'm sure Ron will love his surprise," Ginny nodded. Pansy grinned. She'd bought Ron a bag full of chocolate frogs.

"Why don't we make our way down to the parlor, then, my dear?" Pansy said, imitating Narcissa's soft voice. Ginny covered her mouth and giggled.

"You shouldn't tease like that," she whispered as they walked down the hallway. Pansy snorted.

"She knows I love her just like I love my own mother," Pansy said, shrugging. "I was over here enough as a child. Draco and I did everything together before Hogwarts, you know. We even had the same tutors."

"Aha!" Ginny and Pansy both jumped at Draco's voice. "I _knew_ if you two were left alone long enough, you'd start discussing my horrible past!" Pansy laughed, and then leaned closer to Ginny.

"He used to cry every time he got a scratch," she whispered, cupping her hand to Ginny's ear. "And he used to cry if he thought I got a bigger treat than he did." Ginny laughed, and Draco arched an eyebrow.

"Hey, now! Stop that!" Pansy grinned and gave him a quick peck on the cheek when they got close enough. "Can't have you ruining the evil reputation I've worked so hard to build."

"Where's Ron?" Ginny asked, glancing around the corridor. Draco pretended to look affronted.

"All day apart, and your first words are concern for your brother? No concern for me at all?" Ginny laughed.

"I can see that you're alive and well," Ginny teased. "But my brother is not here, therefore I inquired as to his well-being." Draco started to say something, but before he could, Ron stepped into the hallway. Pansy and Ginny both stared, their jaws dropping open. Draco smirked.

"As you can see, he is quite well." Ron appeared to have taken fashion tips from Draco; his hair was neatly combed and he was dressed similarly to Draco. He even looked as though he'd had a manicure. Pansy gave a low whistle, and Ron grinned at her, even though his ears turned scarlet.

"Wow," Pansy said, circling him. He laughed.

"You don't look so bad yourself," he said. She threw her arms around his neck, surprising him with a tight hug. When he hugged her back, Ginny smiled. Draco arched an eyebrow at her.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing at the bag she was carrying. She blushed and held it out to him.

"It's just a little something I picked up for you." He took the bag and gave her a look of surprise.

Pansy steered Ron back into the parlor. "I have something for you, too," she said, as she pushed him inside the room. When Draco and Ginny were alone in the hallway, he opened the bag. He pulled out the jeans and grinned at her.

"How did you know my size?"

"Pansy." He chuckled and dropped a quick peck on her cheek.

"Thank you."

"There's something else in there as well," she said. He glanced down and pulled out a small black box. Before he opened it, he raised his eyes to her and stared.

"This is a jewelry box," he said. She nodded and watched as he lifted the lid. He stared at the bracelet for so long that she wondered if she had made a mistake purchasing it for him.

"If you don't like it," she began uncertainly. He reached forward and plunged his hands into her hair, drawing her close enough to press his lips hard against hers. He kissed her wildly, stealing her breath away. When he pulled away and looked at her, her cheeks were pink.

"I love it," he said finally. He removed it from the box and handed it to her. "Can you help me put it on?" With shaky hands, she draped the bracelet over his wrist, then fastened it. He admired it only for a moment, and then he reached for her hand. He threaded his fingers through hers and led her into the parlor, where Ron and Pansy were waiting.

"So I see I wasn't the only one who received a gift," Draco said, smirking at Ron. Ron bit the head off of a chocolate frog and winked at Pansy, who giggled.

"How was your shopping trip?" Ginny asked, lowering herself onto the couch. Draco sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Ron's face darkened.

"Everything was going just fine until we ran into Harry," Ron spat. Draco shrugged.

"Potter had been following us from the moment we stepped into Hogsmeade," he commented. Ginny blinked.

"Does he follow you often?"

"Not as much as he used to," Draco said, shaking his head. "He must have realized that I'm not stupid enough to do anything illegal out in the open." Ginny relaxed slightly.

"Can't you get some sort of order of protection, or something?"

"Not unless Harry attacks him," Ron said. Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"I didn't think you were familiar with the laws," he said. Ron's ears turned red.

"Just because I'm not a Ministry employee like them doesn't mean that I don't know the laws – or ways around them." Draco looked even more surprised, and Pansy stared at him.

"So what are you saying, exactly?"

"I'm saying that there might be a way that we could all get protective orders against Harry."

"Do tell," Draco said, hugging Ginny closer.

"If you can prove that he's been following you for an extended amount of time even though you haven't been convicted of a crime, you can file for a protective order."

"How does that work?" Pansy asked, confused.

"The Ministry is perfectly within rights if they choose to follow a known criminal around. It's considered a preventative measure," Ron explained. "They could follow a former convict around for the rest of that person's life, if they wanted to, and the poor bloke couldn't do anything about it. But someone who has a clean record…" he let his voice trail off, and he shrugged.

"But you'd need proof that he's been following you," Pansy reasoned. Draco arched an eyebrow at her.

"I think I know where I can get that proof, don't you, Ron?" Ron looked startled by the use of his first name, but he nodded.

"How are you going to convince her to come forward?"

"All he'd need is a letter written in her hand and signed," Ginny said offhandedly. Draco and Ron both turned to shoot incredulous looks at her, and she shrugged. "What? Being invisible makes you privy to a lot of private conversations. Besides, with the way Harry treats her, I don't think you'd have a problem convincing Padma to do it."

"Padma? Patil?" Pansy asked. Ron laughed.

"Don't tell me you didn't know that the famous Harry Potter had started dating someone?"

"Well, yes," she said, shifting in her chair. "But I thought the papers said it was Cho Chang."

"She turned him down ages ago," Ginny said, waving a hand dismissively. "The papers got wind of it and blew it way out of proportion."

"Let's talk about something more pleasant than Potter's love life, or lack thereof," Draco said, shaking his head. Pansy eyed the bag at his feet.

"Aren't you going to wear your jeans?" she teased. He grinned.

"Is the world ready for Draco Malfoy in jeans?" he replied.

"I'll bet Ginny is ready for you in jeans," Pansy laughed.

"Well then, that's all that matters," Draco said softly, turning to glance at her. She smiled as her cheeks turned pink.

"So what should I expect at this wedding tomorrow?" Ron asked. "And what time should I meet who where?" Draco blinked, then shook his head.

"Do you always ask so many questions at once?" Ron considered this for a moment, then nodded.

"Yeah." Ginny laughed.

"Why don't you just come over here tomorrow and get ready with Draco?" Pansy suggested.

"I have a better idea," Draco said. "Why don't you just stay the night here in one of the guest rooms? We have plenty of room. It would save you the trouble of having to go all the way home and then having to come back." Ginny's smile broadened.

"That's a great idea, Ron!"

"And while we're at it, Pansy, you should just stay here, too," Draco said, nodding at her. "Since I know you and Ginny will want to get ready together."

"How convenient for me that I've already brought all of my things over here, then," she said, winking at Ginny. Ginny laughed. Ron exchanged an amused look with Draco.

"Do you ever get the feeling that your control over things is just an illusion?" Draco asked him. Ron snorted softly, and Pansy elbowed him gently in the side.

"Shall we all just change into our pyjamas and have a slumber party?" Pansy suggested. Ginny paled.

"I don't think so," she said, shaking her head. Draco gave her a highly amused look, and Ron frowned.

"Why not?"

"Because my pyjamas are hardly appropriate for mixed company," she said, her face turning red. Ron's jaw dropped.

"You mean to tell me that you don't have any baggy pants or anything that you could wear?"

Ginny shook her head slowly, and Pansy cleared her throat. "All right, then. That's out. Unless Draco wants to lend you something of his to wear." Draco shrugged.

"I'm sure I could find something suitable, although I wouldn't mind if she wore her pyjamas."

"Look, I don't care _how_ nice you're being to me," Ron started, putting his hand up. "It still freaks me out to hear you saying things like that about my sister." Draco laughed, then stood up.

"Fine, I'll try and refrain myself. Will the two of you be all right alone together while I take Ginny to find some clothes?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Pansy, who slapped at him. He dodged her and grabbed Ginny's hand, tugging her up off of the sofa, and pulled her out into the hallway.

"You're so mean," she laughed. He squeezed her hand gently and shot her a grin.

"She loves it, otherwise she wouldn't put up with me."

"Obviously," she laughed again. When they got inside his room, he closed the door behind them and wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her close.

"I love the gifts," he whispered, his breath warm against her lips. She shivered and slid her arms around his neck.

"I'm glad."

"I like the bracelet especially," he said, brushing his lips lightly against hers.

"I thought of you when I saw it," she whispered. He lowered his head to nuzzle her ear.

"And I'll think of you every time I look at it."

"As much as I'm enjoying this," she said breathily. "We do need to get back, eventually." He pulled away and pouted at her, eliciting a giggle from her.

"So anxious not to be alone with me."

"It's not that, and you know it." He released her and turned to his closet to find her something. "Are you sure you don't mind me wearing something of yours?"

"Not at all." He continued looking through his clothes as his mind raced. He didn't like her in baggy clothes, but it was a different matter altogether if the baggy clothes were his. He liked the idea of her wearing something that belonged to him; it would be a sort of brand to everyone – a symbolic gesture, to let everyone know that she was _his_.

He pulled out a pair of old black pyjama pants that were softened from years of wearing and washing, then rummaged through his dresser for an old Falcons t-shirt. She squealed when he handed her the shirt.

"The Falcons!" He laughed at her delighted look.

"It's just a t-shirt."

"It's your t-shirt," she said quietly, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "Thank you. I'm going to go change." He watched as she opened the door and bounded out into the hallway, smiling stupidly to himself.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

"Are you sure this is really necessary?" Ginny asked, wincing as Pansy pulled tighter on her hair. Narcissa hid her smile and continued brushing her own hair.

"Yes, it is, and quit being such a baby!" Pansy said, laughing. "I'm not pulling it _that_ hard. Besides, it looks better when it's done by hand instead of magic."

"She's right, dear," Narcissa said, nodding. "It's tighter and it lasts longer. When you use magic, the hair tends to fall after only an hour or so." Ginny sighed.

"All right," she breathed, wincing again. Pansy was trying to pull her hair up into a tight, sleek ponytail.

"So," Pansy said, reaching for a hair band. "Has Draco said anything else about the bracelet you got him?" Narcissa turned at this and gave the girls a quizzical look.

"What bracelet?"

"Ginny bought him a bracelet and had it engraved with his name," Pansy said. Ginny blushed as Narcissa beamed at her. "And she had something engraved inside, but she won't tell me what it was."

"It's private," Ginny said defensively.

"Come on," Pansy wheedled. "You _know_ you can trust me and Narcissa. We won't tell him it's there." Ginny laughed.

"Fine," she sighed. "But only if you promise you'll be easier with my scalp," she said, wincing.

"I promise." Narcissa halted her brushing and sat down, giving Ginny an attentive look.

"I had the jeweler engrave something on the underside of the bracelet," she admitted. "But only because I didn't think he'd notice it."

"What did you have engraved?"

"It says _'Je t'adore.'_" Narcissa sighed dreamily, and Pansy frowned.

"Huh?"

"It's French for 'I love you," Narcissa answered, her eyes misting over. Pansy sighed.

"That is _so_ romantic," she breathed. Ginny laughed softly.

"Care to take bets on how long it'll be before he figures out there's something there?"

"That's awful," Narcissa laughed. "I'm putting my money on today." Pansy raised her eyebrows.

"You have too high of an opinion of Draco's observation skills," she said, clucking her tongue. "I'll put my bet on a week from now." Ginny laughed as Pansy and Narcissa both pulled out a galleon each, then handed them to her.

"I wasn't serious," she said, giggling. Then, "All right. I'll put my bet on two weeks from now." She got up and went to the dresser, pulling a galleon out of a small black velvet bag. "Where should we put these until we know?"

"Why don't we give the money to Ron?" Pansy suggested.

"Ron might want in on the bet, though," Ginny said thoughtfully.

"You're not afraid that if he knew, he'd tell Draco?" Narcissa asked. Ginny frowned.

"Oh, that's a good point. Narcissa, why don't you keep it?"

"All right," she said, nodding. "I'll keep it in my vanity drawer. I think you're both going to be surprised, though."

"Why?"

"I think Draco's more attentive to detail than you think."

Pansy laughed, and then turned to Ginny. "Where's your dress?"

"It's in the closet." She moved in front of the open closet doors, and then pulled out a plastic bag. She removed the plastic and pulled the dress out, and Pansy gasped.

"It's beautiful!" She stepped forward and gingerly fingered the satiny material. Narcissa had chosen the dress for her the day they'd gone shopping together in Paris, and she had to admit that she would have never chosen the dress herself, simply because of its price tag.

It was a flowing gown of the palest blue. Strapless and ornate with hundreds of tiny pearls embroidered on the skirt, it had looked to Ginny as though it were fit for a bride, and not just a guest at a wedding. Pansy looked longingly at Ginny's gown one last time before withdrawing her own dress from its protective plastic cover. Hers was a dusky rose color with simple spaghetti straps. She held up a single strand of pearls that she was going to wear with it, and smiled.

"Mum let me borrow her great-great-grandmother's pearls to wear."

"They're beautiful," Ginny said, realizing that she had a strapless dress, and nothing to wear in the way of jewelry. Narcissa seemed to read her mind.

"I've been meaning to give something to you, Ginevra," she said, rising from her seat. She pulled a long black box out of the bag she'd used to carry her beauty products from her room and handed it to Ginny. "I was in the vault yesterday, looking for some jewelry to wear myself, and I saw this. I just knew it would be perfect with your dress."

Ginny shot her a curious look as she opened the lid, and she gasped. Inside was a diamond choker. She looked up at Narcissa in surprise. "Are you sure you want me to wear this? I wouldn't want to damage it or anything."

"It's not an heirloom, so it can easily be replaced," Narcissa said, shaking her head. "I bought it to wear at my wedding."

"Then it _is_ an heirloom, for your grandchildren," Ginny objected. Narcissa gave her a smile that she wondered at, and then patted her arm gently.

"I want you to wear it. Please. For me."

Ginny's face softened. "All right. Thank you." She took her dress into the bathroom to change, and Pansy moved closer to Narcissa.

"When is he going to propose?" she whispered. Narcissa shrugged.

"He didn't say," she whispered back. "But he did take the ring, so I'm thinking he'll do it sooner than later."

"Can someone help me zip this up?" Ginny called. Pansy went into the bathroom to help her. When they emerged, Narcissa smiled. Ginny looked radiant in her dress; her creamy skin was almost glowing in the afternoon sunlight, and her copper hair shone. Ginny gave her a nervous smile.

"How do I look?"

"Beautiful," Narcissa said, tears springing to her eyes. Ginny went to her and wrapped her arms around her.

"Why are you crying?"

"I'm just so happy," she said, sniffling. Pansy handed her a tissue and grinned. "You've made my family so happy. Draco is happier than I've ever seen him, and his being happy makes Lucius happy." Ginny laughed softly.

"I'm glad I'm doing something to repay all of your kindnesses."

"All right, ladies. Enough blubbering," Pansy said, her voice authoritative. "Who's going to help me into my dress?"

Ron smoothed out the front of his suit, and then looked in the mirror. "I feel like a penguin," he grumbled.

"That's good, because you _look_ like one," Draco drawled. Ron laughed and threw his tie at him.

"Now, now, boys," Lucius laughed. Draco smiled.

"Sorry, Father." Draco adjusted his tie, and then reached for his ID bracelet, which was sitting on top of the bureau. His father saw it and arched an eyebrow.

"What is that?"

"It's something Ginny gave me yesterday," Draco said, grinning. Lucius stepped closer and examined it as Draco held it out.

"What does it say?"

"It's got my name engraved on it," he said. Lucius shook his head.

"No, what does it say on the back side?" Draco frowned.

"It doesn't say anything on the-"his voice died on his lips as he turned it over and saw the tiny script engraved on the underside. Lucius read the script, then clapped his son on the shoulder.

"Have you asked her already, then?" Draco didn't answer. Ron waved his hand in front of Draco's face, trying to get him to blink.

"Does this say what I think it says?" he breathed. Ron arched his neck, trying to look over Draco's shoulder.

"What does it say? I can't read Spanish."

"It's French," Lucius said, smiling. "What do you _think_ it says, Draco?" Draco met his father's eyes.

"She loves me?" Ron rolled his eyes.

"You already knew that."

"I've heard other people say it. I haven't heard _her_ say it."

"You wore that thing for a whole day and didn't notice that there was writing on it?" Ron asked, amused. Draco slipped the bracelet on and fumbled with the clasp with shaking hands. After he'd fastened it, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring. Ron's eyes got wide as Draco turned and held it up to him. "As much as we've gotten along lately, I don't think I'm ready for marriage just yet," Ron said, batting his eyelashes. Lucius roared with laughter, and Draco's face turned pink.

"It's not for _you_, you twit. It's for your sister." Ron looked at the ring again, then looked back up at Draco.

"I hope you know what you're getting into," he said, shaking his head. "As soon as you get married, my mother will be hounding you nonstop for grandchildren." Draco grinned and shot a glance at his father.

"She'll have to beat my Mother to it, then." He paused in thought, and then looked up at Ron. "Do you think she'll say yes?"

"When have you ever been uncertain about women?" Ron teased. He looked up and saw the serious look on Draco's face and sighed. "If what Pansy tells me is true, she'll be putty in your hands." Draco took a deep breath and nodded as he placed the ring back in his pocket.

"How about you?" Draco asked, reaching for his dress cloak. Ron gave him a blank look.

"How about me what?"

"Are you and Pansy dating, or what?" Ron smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

"I suppose so."

"Hurt her and I'll kill you."

"Why, Draco, I never knew you cared," Ron said. Lucius laughed again, and Draco grinned at him.

"I'm protective of my best friend the same way you are about your sister."

"Well, I guess it's my turn to tell you the same. Hurt Ginny and I'll kill you."

"That sounds fair enough."

"Are we ready for a wedding, boys?" Lucius asked. "Then let's not keep the ladies waiting."

Draco, Ron, and Lucius stood in the foyer, waiting for the women. Ron had just said something that made Lucius laugh, when they heard Pansy clear her throat. Ron looked up and swallowed hard. Pansy was attractive in her rose-colored dress, with her hair curling down around her shoulders. She smiled brilliantly at him and did a quick spin.

"How do I look?"

"Like a curly pink rose," Draco teased. She slapped him lightly on the arm, and then stood on her tiptoes to press a light kiss to Ron's cheek.

"You look fabulous," Ron said softly. She blushed.

"You too."

"Where are Mother and Ginny?" Draco asked.

"They were right behind me," she said, turning and looking down the corridor. "Oh, there they are!" Draco watched, his heart pounding painfully against his ribcage, as the figures of the women drew nearer. When Ginny stepped into the foyer smiling at his mother, he fought to catch his breath. She turned to look at him, giving him a shy smile as she approached. Narcissa went into the open arms of her husband and watched as Ginny stopped in front of Draco.

"You look terrific," she whispered, her neck and cheeks flushed from her jangled nerves.

"Draco, you'd better close your mouth, or you're going to swallow a bug," Pansy laughed, stepping through the front door. Draco smiled at her, and then turned back to Ginny.

"You look..." he shook his head, at a loss. "There aren't words for how good you look." She bit her bottom lip as she smiled.

"Thank you."

"You realize, of course," he said, finally collecting himself and holding out his arm for her to take. "That you outshine even the bride." She laughed.

"How would you know that? We're not even there yet."

"True, but I know what Lavinia Jugson looks like, and there won't be a man at the wedding who will be able to look at her after laying eyes on you." She felt the heat rising in her face as he helped her inside the carriage, and then sat down beside her. They had decided to take three carriages; one for each couple.

"Quit that, you're making me blush," she laughed. He lifted the back of her hand to his lips, and an uncontrollable excitement began thrumming through her veins.

"I'm not going to be able to let you out of my sight tonight," he said, his voice husky. "I'd be insanely jealous if another man tried to dance with you."

"No one will want to dance with me," she said, trying to calm her racing heart. His eyes looked very much like liquid mercury in the golden light that filtered in through the cracks in the curtains of the carriage, and it was doing funny things to her.

"I want to dance with you."

"You have to say that. I tricked you into this, remember?"

"It doesn't feel like fulfilling a bet anymore," he said softly. "Do you still think of it that way?" She shook her head slowly.

"No," she breathed.

"Good. Then I'll thank you to stop denying that you're beautiful." She nodded silently, and he leaned closer to press his lips close to her ear. Her eyes fluttered closed. "Je t'adore, Ginny Weasley." Her eyes flew open, and she pulled away to stare at him.

"You found it," she said, the hint of a smile tugging at her lips. He nodded, his eyes glittering. "I didn't think you would find it so soon."

"I saw it this afternoon, as I was getting dressed." He held out his arm and pulled the sleeve back, revealing the shiny gold bracelet. She met his eyes again. "Did you mean it?"

She nodded. "I did." She held her breath, waiting for his reaction.

"Truly?" he asked quietly, his eyes locked on hers. She nodded.

"Yes. I meant it, Draco." He wrapped his arms around her, crushing her to him.

"I never thought to have you love me," he whispered against her cheek. "I never hoped for it."

"You're not upset, then?" He pulled away to stare at her.

"Why would I be upset?"

"I thought maybe it might be too soon, seeing as how we've only really known each other for three weeks."

"It's not too soon, if you're certain that that's what you're feeling."

"I'm so glad to hear you say that," she said, relief flooding through her. The carriage slowed to a halt, and Draco smiled brightly.

"We're here. Ready to be the belle of the ball?" She laughed and took his hand as he helped her out.

As soon as she stepped out of the carriage, she could feel eyes on her, and she wasn't sure it was a positive thing. She stuck by Draco's side, and made sure that they were always near Ron and Pansy, too. The service was short and to the point, with very little frill involved. Draco told her that the reason was because Lavinia and Rabastan had spent all of their money on the reception, since more people were likely to show up there.

When they entered the reception hall, music was already playing, and several couples on the floor were dancing. Draco led Ginny to the table where his parents, Pansy's parents, Pansy, and Ron were already seated. He pulled the chair out for her and pushed it in as she sat down, and then took the seat next to her.

"Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson, this is my girlfriend, Ginny Weasley." Pansy's parents nodded politely at her and gave her friendly smiles.

"It's so nice to see the both of you here," Ornella said, smiling. Ginny smiled back, and Ron nodded, giving her a polite, if not detached, smile.

"It's lovely to be here," Ginny answered. Ornella exchanged a secret glance with Narcissa, who smiled brightly at her. A slow song started up, and Ron held out his hand to Pansy.

"Would you like to dance?" She nodded and smiled at him, letting him lead her onto the dance floor. Draco turned to Ginny and held out his hand wordlessly. She slid her hand into his and followed him onto the dance floor. Narcissa and Lucius watched as Draco wrapped one arm around Ginny's waist, and captured her hand with his free hand.

Ornella leaned towards Narcissa. "How in the world did our children ever become besotted with _Weasleys?"_ She asked, wrinkling her nose in distaste. Narcissa tried unsuccessfully to hide her shocked look.

"You sound as if you don't approve," she said carefully. Ornella shrugged.

"There are plenty of eligible bachelors I would have Pansy date, but she'll have nothing to do with them. Instead she chooses to go slumming with this boy." She looked pointedly at Ron. Narcissa stiffened, and she felt Lucius tense up beside her.

"Come now, Ornella. That's no way to talk about the boy your daughter has chosen, and it's certainly not talk for such a happy occasion." Ornella's husband remained silent, chewing on an appetizer.

"She won't be with him long," Ornella said carelessly. "She never is."

"What if you're wrong?"

"Then we'll take an extended vacation somewhere far away." Lucius frowned.

"You know the Dark Lord won't permit that."

"I never agreed with that business anyway," Ornella said, waving her hand dismissively. Narcissa's eyes widened. Lucius was a fair and understanding man, but he did not tolerate any sort of treason or disobedience whatsoever where the Dark Lord was concerned. Lucius' expression turned hard.

"Come, Narcissa. Let us wish Lavinia and Rabastan a long and happy life together, and then we'll be off." Narcissa didn't bother to utter her apologies; she knew that after this, it would be highly unlikely that Lucius would approve of her spending time around Ornella. She would have to prove her loyalty before Lucius would allow it.

Lucius approached Pansy and Ron and whispered something into Pansy's ear that made her face turn red. Draco watched with a sinking feeling in his chest as Lucius approached him and bent to say something.

"Your mother and I are leaving. Ornella said some insulting things about your date and Pansy's, and she was talking treason." Draco's eyes flew to Ornella's table, where she was pointing in their direction and laughing with another wedding guest. He sighed as his father walked away.

"People are talking about you and Pansy because Ron and I are here, aren't they?" Ginny asked quietly. Draco met her eyes.

"I could care less what anyone says," he drawled. She remained silent and squeezed his hand gently. Draco saw someone approaching Ron out of the corner of his eye, and felt Ginny stiffen when she noticed.

"You're Ron Weasley, aren't you?" the man asked. Ron nodded, but didn't stop dancing. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I invited him," Pansy said angrily. "Really, Blaise, do you have nothing else to do with your time than harass my date?"

"Was this meant to be a strike at me?" he laughed. "Did you honestly think that bringing a Weasley to the wedding was going to make me jealous?"

"Your ego amazes me," Pansy said, her eyes narrowing. "I asked him to be my date because I happen to like him."

"Right," Blaise laughed. A small crowd was gathering around them, and Draco was waiting for the worst to happen. His heart plummeted when he saw people turn their heads toward him and Ginny, but nothing was said. Surprisingly, the crowd dissipated quickly, and Blaise went towards the opposite side of the room. Pansy and Ron both sighed with relief and continued dancing, their steps lighter.

After five songs of continuous dancing, Ginny needed a drink. She pulled away from Draco gently. "I'm just going to the refreshment table for a drink," she said, smiling. "I'll be fine walking the twenty feet or so from here to there." He watched as she headed towards the table, then frowned when he saw Blaise approaching her.

She had just taken a sip of the punch when she felt a hand on her bare shoulder. She whipped around quickly and found herself face to face with Blaise. He was smiling a predatory smile that made Ginny feel like she was in very real danger.

"Well, well," he said slowly. "Little Ginny Weasley. What are you doing here?"

"I'm here with Draco," she said, sticking her chin up defiantly. "And if you'll excuse me, I've got to be getting back, so-"she attempted to step around him, but he blocked her. When Draco saw his hand shoot out and grip Ginny's arm, he headed towards them.

"No, I don't think so. I think you need to stay and talk to me." As he spoke, he ran a finger lightly from her shoulder to the diamond choker she wore. "Have you become Draco's whore to gain such fine things?" Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him in utter surprise.

"Excuse me?" she asked, astonished. Before he could answer, Draco had tapped him on the shoulder. Blaise turned and smirked at him.

"Let go of her, Zabini."

"What's the matter, Malfoy? You can't get dates on your own, so now you're buying them? Really, I would have thought that your money could have bought you something better than a _Weasley."_

Ginny watched with fascinated horror as Draco's fist connected with Blaise's jaw. As Blaise crumpled to the ground clutching the side of his face, Draco grabbed Ginny's hand and tugged on it, pulling her along behind him. He didn't stop until they had gotten outside. Pansy and Ron were right behind them, howling with laughter.

"That was the best thing I've ever seen in my life!" Pansy exclaimed, climbing into the carriage before Ron. Draco helped Ginny into their carriage, then climbed in behind her.

"I'm sorry," she said, tears wetting her eyelashes. "I didn't mean to cause problems for you or your family." He gave her a surprised look.

"What? No! Hey, this wasn't your fault." He reached out and swiped a tear away with his thumb. "Please, stop crying. For me?" She sniffed and nodded.

"Are your parents going to be terribly upset?"

"Not at all. You saw how my father reacted to Pansy's parents, and they've been friends since before Pansy and I were born. Zabini got what was coming to him. That guy's an egotistical jerk, anyway."

"Thank you for stopping him," she said softly. Draco glanced down at her arm and his jaw dropped slightly.

"He left a bruise on you! I can see where his fingers were on your arm!" His expression turned cold. "I'll kill him if I ever see him again."

"Don't say that," she murmured. "It's not really that bad." He reached out and caressed her cheek gently.

"Let me make it up to you," he said. "I was planning a surprise anyway, but now it seems even more fitting."

"A surprise?" she asked, smiling. "What kind of surprise?"

"Well, it would ruin the whole element of surprise if I told you, now, wouldn't it?" She giggled.

"All right. Can I change first?"

"Of course you can, sweet. I don't expect you to stay in that dress all night." She sighed happily as she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty Three**

Ginny was hanging her gown in the closet when someone knocked on her door. "Come in," she called.

"Hey, Gin." She turned and smiled at her brother.

"Hey!" her smile faded when he sat down on her bed and put his head in his hands. "What's wrong?"

"I just feel bad about Pansy getting so much attention at the wedding," he said, shaking his head. His hands dropped, and she saw that his eyes were red-rimmed. She sat down beside him and put her arms around him, hugging him tight.

"Ron, she was prepared for it," she said soothingly. "She was prepared for the eventuality that someone might say something about it. Nothing bad happened to either of you, did it? It was just a bunch of old biddies with their tongues wagging."

"But they think we're dirty," he said quietly. She sighed.

"We're not dirty, Ron. Our blood is just as pure as theirs, if not more so." Ron nodded.

"I know you're right. I just feel bad about the whole thing."

"At least none of them tried to hit on _you,_" she said, laughing softly. Ron snorted.

"I suppose you should feel flattered that he thought you were worthy of his attentions, huh?"

"The only thing I feel flattered by was the fact that Draco cared enough about me to job him good." Ron sniggered.

"He did, didn't he? I guess I don't have to worry about your honor after all – at least, not with him around."

"I love you, big brother."

"I love you, too, brat." She pushed him away and laughed. He lunged at her and began tickling her. She was howling with laughter when Draco and Pansy appeared at the door.

"Someone- please help," she gasped, tears flowing as she laughed. Draco folded his arms over his chest and smirked at them. Pansy rolled her eyes but smiled as she pulled Ron off of his sister. Ginny sat up and tried to catch her breath. "Gee, thanks, Draco. I'm glad you didn't mistakenly show me that you cared, or anything." He pretended to look affronted.

"Me?" he asked, pointing at himself. His gold bracelet glinted in the light of the room, and Ginny felt a wave of warmth roll over her. He was still wearing it, which was a good sign. She stood up and began smoothing the front of her clothes out.

"Thank you, Pansy, for stepping in and saving me before my arse of a brother made me wet myself."

"Wouldn't be the first time," Ron snarked. Pansy laughed, and Draco grinned. Ginny slapped his arm. "Ow!" He rubbed the spot where her blow had landed.

"Serves you right," she said, poking her finger into his chest. "Here we were, having a beautiful brother-sister moment, and then you go and pull this. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Ronald!"

"Ought to," he shrugged. "But not." His eyes sparkled with laughter, and she shook her head.

"Men. See what you're getting into, Parkinson?" Pansy laughed and reached for Ron's hand.

"I think I can handle him," she said. "Are you ready to go now? I'm starving." Ron nodded.

"Pansy and I are going to go and get something to eat."

"Where are you going?" Ginny asked. Ron turned red.

"Why do you need to know that?"

"Because if you're going somewhere I like, I might want you to bring me something back." She arched an eyebrow. "Why is it a secret?"

"He's taking me to the Burrow," Pansy said, clearing her throat. Ginny eyed Ron thoughtfully.

"I expect she'll get a better welcome there than I got from her parents," he explained. Ginny nodded.

"Most certainly. Did Mum say what she was making?"

"Lasagna."

"Oh! Can you bring some back for me and Draco?" She turned to smile at her boyfriend. "Mum's lasagna is _divine_."

"Sure," Ron said, nodding. "But we'd better get going now. Behave yourselves." He kissed his sister's cheek, and she pouted.

"But being good is no fun," she said. He laughed and followed Pansy out of the room. It was only then that Ginny realized that Draco was wearing the jeans she'd bought him. She shot him a wide smile. "You're wearing them."

"Isn't that what you bought them for?" he teased. "Or did you think I'd just hang them in my closet?"

"I didn't think you'd wear them," she admitted, laughing. "But they look good." He arched an amused eyebrow, and she felt the heat rising in her face. "Well, they _do_."

"You look pretty good in yours, too. But then again, I believe I already told you that." She rolled her eyes playfully and shook her head.

"Shameless flatterer."

"Are you ready for your surprise?" he asked. She nodded. "Come on, then." He turned and began down the hallway, and she followed him, wondering at his seemingly annoyed air. When they reached the door that led outside, she watched as he bent and retrieved something from the corner.

"Is that-?" she began, staring. He nodded.

"A flying carpet."

"But I thought they were outlawed," she said, confusion on her face.

"They were. My father saved this one, though. Ever been on one?"

"No. Won't I need my cloak? It's snowing outside."

"No, I've already put a warming charm on it. As long as we stay within the confines of the carpet, we should be perfectly fine." She nodded and followed him outside. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to retain body heat, as he spread the carpet out on the snow, then sat down on it and beckoned to her to do the same. She sat in front of him where he'd indicated, still shivering. He murmured some archaic words, and the carpet teetered precariously into the air. Ginny went rigid from fear. She loved flying, but only on something she could control.

Draco managed to steady the carpet, and Ginny relaxed little by little. She was still freezing, though. Draco felt her shiver before he saw it, and he frowned. He'd cast a simple enough warming charm on the ruddy carpet before they'd climbed onto it, and couldn't figure why it wasn't working. He murmured the charm again, and nothing happened.

"Can you try the warming charm?" he asked.

"I don't have my wand with me," she said through chattering teeth. He swore softly, then moved to sit behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back into him, and his heart did a somersault. Maybe getting the warming charm wrong hadn't been such a bad thing, after all.

They glided silently towards the back of the Malfoy grounds, towards the rose garden his Mother loved so much. When they got there, he gave a growl of frustration. His Mother had apparently had the greenhouse closed and locked, and he hadn't thought to ask her for the anti-charm to get inside. There was another part of his elaborate plan foiled. He steered the carpet towards the lake, and Ginny huddled closer to him.

"Draco," she said urgently. Draco sighed.

"What is it?"

"Um, the carpet," she said, sitting up.

"What about it?"

"It's coming apart."

"It's _what?"_ he asked incredulously, leaning forward. He gasped as he saw what she was talking about. The edge of the carpet was unraveling, and quickly. They were over the middle of the lake, and the carpet falling apart would be a very, _very_ bad thing indeed.

"Great," he muttered, trying to turn the carpet around. As soon as he did, the carpet started to give way beneath them, and they fell into the lake, Ginny screaming all the way. He broke the surface of the icy lake and spluttered, then looked around for her. She came up seconds later, coughing. He swam over to her and wrapped his arms around her, then swam to the shore. When they stepped out, they were both wet and freezing cold.

He kept his arms around her as they walked back to the house, trying to cling to any sort of warmth that they could. As soon as they got back inside, his Mother came running. When she saw them, she gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh, dear," she said. She pulled a silver cord that hung on the wall, and a house elf appeared. "Fetch some towels and start a fire in both Draco and Ginevra's rooms." The house elf disappeared with a _pop_, and Draco growled. A moment later, the house elf appeared with an armful of big, fluffy towels, and Draco snatched one to wrap around Ginny's shoulders. Her lips were blue, and her teeth were chattering loudly. Narcissa frowned. "I'm going to go and get you some pepper-up potion." She took off down the corridor, and Draco kicked the wall in frustration. Tiny beads of water flew everywhere.

"This was not supposed to happen," he said angrily. Ginny tried to force her teeth to be still, but it didn't work.

"W-what w-wasn't s-s-supposed t-to h-happen?" she stuttered. He turned and frowned at her.

"I had this elaborate scene planned," he began, flailing his arms to emphasize his point. "I was going to dance with you at the wedding, and it was going to be _so_ romantic. Then I was going to bring you back here and fly you out on the magic carpet, over the rose garden, and over the lake, where I was going to propose to you. But then the garden was locked up, the warming charm didn't work, the carpet unraveled, and we fell in the ruddy lake!" She stared at him with wide eyes.

"What did you just say?" He looked up at her, confused.

"We fell in the ruddy lake," he repeated. "You know, you were there!" she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"No – what did you say about being over the lake?" He stopped and stared, realizing what he'd just said. He sighed.

"I was going to propose to you." She bit her lip.

"Was, as in past tense? Not anymore?" He hesitated, and then withdrew the ring from his pocket. He got down on one knee in front of her and held the ring up.

"Ginevra Weasley, will you be my wife?" Tears flooded her eyes and spilled over as she nodded.

"Yes, I will." A huge grin broke out on his face, and he slid the ring onto her icy finger, then stood and wrapped her in his arms.

"Oh!" They both turned to see his Mother clinging to his Father. Both of his parents were grinning stupidly, and Draco laughed. Narcissa finally broke away from her husband and handed Ginny a bottle of potion, then wrapped her in a tight hug, ignoring the fact that she was soaking wet. "I'm finally getting the daughter I've always wanted!"

"Congratulations," Lucius said, smiling at the two of them. "Now, I hear that my flying carpet is responsible for your swim in the lake?" Draco stepped in front of his mother and wrapped his arms around his still-shaking fiancée.

"It is," he said, nodding. "But I'm not quite so angry about it any more."


	34. Chapter 34

****

Chapter Thirty Four

Ginny awoke to the sound of an owl banging on her window. She stumbled out of bed and opened the window, wincing as the icy air hit her full force. The honey colored bird dropped an envelope on the floor, then turned to leave without waiting for a response. Ginny frowned at it, then shut the window.

"Bloody bird," she mumbled groggily. She picked up the envelope and turned it over, frowning when she recognized Hermione's neat script. She started to open the envelope when she became aware of the ring on her finger, and she stopped and held her hand up. The ring truly was beautiful. She wondered when Draco had had time to buy it, and how he'd known what size to get her. She resolved to ask him at some point in the near future, and tore the envelope open.

__

Ginny,

I know that you're angry with me, so I'll understand if you don't answer this letter. I just wanted to tell you that no matter what happens, I'll always be your friend, and I'll always be here for you. I don't know what's happened to all of us – one minute, we're all together and happy, and the next minute, you've disappeared and Ron follows behind you. I want to be happy for you, to think that you're as happy as I was before Ron ended our engagement, but I don't know how to be. Please, Ginny, if you were ever really my friend, can you explain to me how this all happened? I promise to listen, if you'll just tell me what led you to be with Malfoy, and to try to understand. You were always my only female friend, and I want to be your friend still, even if I may not get to be your sister. If you can find it in your heart to speak to me again, I'd like to invite you to lunch at my flat today. Please owl me back if you accept. If I don't hear from you, I'll know your answer.

Always,

Hermione

Ginny sighed and folded the letter up, and then stashed it deep inside her top dresser drawer. She knew that Hermione had been happy and that she had loved Ron, but she wasn't so sure that Ron reciprocated. While she was sure that Ron had harbored deep feelings for Hermione, she'd never believed him to be truly in love with her, and she was afraid that that was what Hermione _really_ wanted to talk about – her failed relationship with her brother. That was what had constituted the majority of their friendship; either Hermione gushing about Ron, or Ginny gushing about Harry. When Ginny's fixation on Harry had ended, so had her conversations with Hermione come to a screeching halt.

She moved to the closet and selected an outfit as she considered the invitation. Hermione had asked for her to help her understand her relationship with Draco, but would she really understand if Ginny told her about it? She smiled softly to herself as she pulled on a pair of slacks and a soft, fuzzy sweater. How could she explain to Hermione the feelings that flooded her every time he was near?

She picked up her brush and sat down on her bed, staring out the window as she brushed her hair. Perhaps she should accept Hermione's invitation after all – she could share the news of her engagement, and try to make peace with her. In the process of sharing her good news, perhaps she could find out why Harry seemed so intent on destroying her fragile happiness. She frowned as she replaced the brush on her nightstand and stood. Yes, if anyone would know why Harry did what he did, it was Hermione.

She left her room and headed towards the dining room, hearing voices raised as she neared. She stopped in the doorway when she saw Draco and Ron having a heated conversation, their voices now hushed as they spoke. She frowned. Their faces were red, and she knew they had been arguing. After a moment, Ron looked up and saw her. He cleared his throat, and Draco looked up immediately.

"Ah, good morning, sweet," he said, his expression changing to happiness. Her frown melted and she smiled.

"Good morning. Is everything all right?" she asked, glancing at her brother. Ron's ears turned red, and Draco grinned as he guided her to the seat beside his.

"Everything is fine. Your brother and I were just discussing the whole idea of getting protective orders against Potter." Ginny turned in her seat to look at Ron.

"Were you able to convince Padma to do it, then?" He nodded.

"You were right," he said, pulling a sheet of parchment out of his pocket. "She was mad enough at Harry that she was more than willing to sign a statement. Turns out that Harry's been following Malfoy _and_ me," he said, his jaw clenching. Draco arched an eyebrow at him, then turned to Ginny.

"We're going to use her statement as a basis for obtaining protective orders for all of us - your brother, Pansy, you, and myself. The only problem is that in order for you to get one, you have to fill out the paperwork and sign it."

"I can fill out the paperwork," she said, looking between them. "What's the problem?"

"I just didn't know if you'd want to fill it out and get an order against Harry," Ron explained. "I mean, I know why Malfoy and Pansy would want to, and I know why I want to – but Harry really hasn't been keeping tabs on you the way he apparently has with the three of us."

"You don't understand," she said, shaking her head. "He's accosted me at least twice now, trying to talk to me when all I wanted was for him to leave me alone. Draco was even there once when he did it."

"Then I suppose Malfoy could be your witness, and give a written statement for you," Ron said, looking at Draco.

"I'll be more than happy to do it, if that's what Ginny wants."

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked, confused. "Draco and I are going to be together eventually, and then who's to say that Harry wouldn't harass me? If he wants to get to Draco badly enough, you know he'll come after me."

"Especially when he finds out that you two are going to be married," Ron nodded. Draco's expression softened, and he reached for Ginny's hand. When he caught hold of it, he squeezed gently. She smiled at him. Ron rolled his eyes. "Come on, guys! Do I _have_ to see this stuff?"

"You'd better get used to it," Draco said, his eyes still on his fiancée. She blushed, and then turned to look at Ron.

"Speaking of displays of affection," she began. "Where's Pansy this morning?" Ron's ears turned crimson and he averted his eyes. Draco raised his eyebrows and Ginny's jaw dropped.

"She's at my flat," he said quietly. "She's still in bed. I didn't want to wake her."

"Ron!" Ginny gasped, and Draco paled considerably. Ginny broke into a fit of giggles. "So I take it that dinner went well last night?" He gave her a sheepish grin.

"Something like that."

"Your parents accepted her, then?" Draco asked curiously. Ron nodded and looked relieved to be steering away from the reasons why Pansy was still in his bed.

"They did. They were uncomfortable about it at first, and then things sort of settled down. Mum and Pansy started talking cooking and recipes, and I think that sort of convinced Mum. She asked Pansy if she wanted a family, and when Pansy said she wanted a house full of kids, Mum was over the moon."

Ginny giggled. "And Dad? What did he think?"

"I think that when Dad saw Mum so happy, he decided that Pansy couldn't be all that bad, and he acted like he was more comfortable. It turned out to be a pretty good night, except for the half hour that I lost my date to my mother." Draco grinned and shook his head.

"I'm happy for the both of you. I'm glad things went well with your parents – especially since they didn't go well with hers." Ron frowned.

"Yeah, I said something to her about that. How are we going to be together if her parents don't approve?"

"I say sod her parents," Draco said. Ginny and Ron looked at him in surprise. "Well, do you have feelings for the woman or not?"

"Of course I do," Ron said, nodding. "She's amazing."

"Then who cares what her parents think? It's her happiness that matters, and she has feelings for you, too."

"As evidenced last night," Ginny teased. Ron blushed and looked down.

"We'll discuss that more later," Draco promised Ron, frowning as he did.

"Brat," Ron mumbled to Ginny, stifling a laugh.

"Besides, her parents are no-good traitors, anyway," Draco sniffed. Before he could say anything further, his parents walked in and took their usual seats.

"Good morning," Narcissa said, smiling brightly. "It's nice to see you here, Ron. Will you be having breakfast with us this morning?"

"Yes, he will," Draco answered for him. He rose and pecked his mother lightly on the cheek, and then sat back down. "You're looking well this morning, Mother."

"She slept like a baby last night," Lucius said, grinning at his wife. Narcissa blushed delicately. "After she cried for an hour straight over the fact that her baby is all grown up and going to get married." Draco grinned at both of them, and Ginny smiled.

"Have you made any plans? Set a date, or anything?" Narcissa asked. Draco laughed.

"Mother, we just got engaged last night. We haven't had time enough to discuss the details yet."

"I just thought that perhaps you had a date in mind already," she said, shrugging as she sipped her warm tea.

"Not yet, but maybe Ginny would like to go over some things with you later," Draco suggested, glancing at Ginny. She nodded.

"Oh, yes. I don't know the first thing about weddings." Narcissa smiled.

"Are you boys planning on going somewhere today?" Lucius asked curiously, his eyes falling on the papers that Ron was holding. Draco nodded and cleared his throat.

"We're going to go to the Ministry and file for a protection order against Potter." Lucius arched an eyebrow in question. "Turns out that not only has he been following me, he's been having Pansy and Ron and Ginny followed, as well."

"What kind of threat does either of them pose to him?" Narcissa asked, gesturing slightly towards Ron and Ginny.

"We've both been privy to top secret meetings that have taken place, and we both know loads of stuff that I'm sure he thinks we're blabbing to everyone about." Ron's face hardened as he became angry.

"Well, I think it's in poor taste," Narcissa said, shaking her head. "I mean, Ginny has barely left the Manor all week, so he's had no reason to have her followed. It seems to me that if she had intentions of telling anyone anything, she would have done it by now, and he couldn't have stopped her, as he's not allowed onto the grounds here."

"I think you'll find that Harry is sort of hot-headed and doesn't always think everything through entirely," Ron said dryly. Draco raised his eyebrows at him in surprise. "What?"

"I just thought that you worshipped Potter. Why else would you have spent all of your time at Hogwarts around him?"

"He was my friend. There was never a dull moment when he was around, either. We were always getting into things together. Besides, my family loved him." He gave Ginny a pointed look, and she nearly choked on the mouthful of muffin she'd just bitten off.

"Ron," she said, after she had composed herself. "I was never in love with Harry. Just because I had a stupid little schoolgirl's crush doesn't mean anything."

"He never paid you the slightest attention – except for the whole Chamber incident." Ron's face went red, and he refused to look at Lucius. Ginny averted her eyes as well, and Draco noticed that Lucius' cheeks turned red. Narcissa frowned.

"What happened that's made you all so quiet?" Lucius cleared his throat and met his wife's eyes.

"I believe that they are being very polite in not telling anyone that I managed to give Ginny a certain magical item that got her into somewhat of a perilous situation at one time." Draco's eyes widened, and he looked at Ginny, who was staring hard at her food. Ron refused to meet Draco's eyes.

"What did you give her?" Draco asked. Lucius sighed.

"A magical diary of sorts," he said, frowning. "She's been very gracious not to have mentioned it to you up until this point, although seeing as how it almost got her killed, I don't understand why she hasn't told you."

"You almost got her killed?" Draco asked, disbelief etched on his face.

"It's in the past, and none of us got along then," Ginny said quietly, glancing up at Draco. "And it wasn't all bad." Lucius eyed her thoughtfully as she spoke.

"Why would you continue to pine for him if he never showed you any attention?" Narcissa asked, changing the subject. Ginny avoided Draco's questioning gaze and focused her attention on his mother instead.

"I don't know. I suppose it was an exaggerated case of hero worship," she said honestly. "I thought at the time that I loved him, and with that in mind it just seemed natural for me to ignore every other boy. Then someone asked me out, and it woke me up, so to speak. I realized that Harry would never notice me in that way. I dealt with it and moved on."

"Well, I can't say that I'm sorry about that," Narcissa said, smiling warmly at Ginny. Ginny returned the smile and began eating again. Ron cleared his throat.

"Before we can file those papers for you, you have to fill them out and sign them, Gin." She nodded and wiped her fingertips on a napkin, then took the papers from him. She glanced over them quickly.

"They don't ask for very much information," she said, surprised.

"Do you think they want your whole life's story?" Ron teased. She rolled her eyes.

"I just meant that it's surprisingly little information, considering that a protective order lasts for several years." Ron blinked at her.

"How do you know that?"

"I'm not stupid, Ronald. You ought to take a lesson away from this. Just because someone doesn't speak a lot doesn't mean that they don't listen a lot."

"Well spoken," Lucius agreed, nodding. He sipped at his coffee.

"Do you want me to do this now?" she asked, turning to Draco.

"You should finish your breakfast first," he said, shaking his head. "I don't want to interrupt your meal."

"I'm finished," she said, pushing her plate away. "I'm going to go to the library and fill it out there, if that's all right."

"Perfectly. As a matter of fact, I think I'll follow you down there. Are you coming, Ron?" Draco asked, rising from his chair. Ron gave a start, then stood. It was going to take some getting used to; Draco referring to him as something other than "Weasel."

When they reached the library, Ginny sat down at the desk and reached for a quill. Draco watched as she scribbled madly on the parchment, admiring the diamond ring that graced her finger. It really was beautiful on her, and it was even more so considering the meaning behind it. He'd found someone who accepted him the way he was, and she had agreed to become his wife. His stomach lurched pleasantly, and he resolved to ask his father what sort of binding spells had been performed at his parents' wedding.

"If you have any trouble, let me know," Ron said, sitting down. She stopped filling the form out, her quill poised just above the paper, and then she turned to look at him.

"What do you mean, trouble?"

"I mean, the applications are charmed with spells to make sure that no one falsifies information," he said, shrugging. She shot an amused glance at Draco, who looked as bewildered as she felt.

"And assuming that I was going to falsify information – which I'm _not,_ by the way – how would you be able to help?"

"Why do you always assume I'm stupid?" Ron asked, screwing his face up. "I offered help because I know how to get around the charms." Ginny snorted and shook her head before turning back around and continuing her work on the form. Draco looked interested.

"And how would you come to know something like that?"

"Fred and George figured it out, really," he said. "They filed to get an order of protection against Colin Creevey."

"What?" Ginny laughed, turning around to look at him again.

"Remember he kept going into their shop and trying to sneak pictures while they were testing new things? They had to file for an order to keep him away. He would have ruined their business if he'd gotten pictures and spread them around."

"So how did that teach you to break the charms?"

"They couldn't file based only on his spying tactics, so they had to concoct a story about him threatening their lives. Then they had to befuddle the form to accept it as truth."

"And it worked?"

"It worked," Ron said, nodding. "They got the protective order. It was right funny, too, to watch Creevey the next time he tried to go into the shop. He couldn't even touch the door."

"Why not?" Ginny asked.

"When they put a protective order on someone, it creates a sort of barrier. If they try to get too close to you, they get a series of shocks that get worse the harder they try to get at you."

"So if Harry tried to follow the two of you after the order is in place-"

"He'd be fine, as long as he stays a certain amount of space away from us," Ron finished for her.

"Who determines the distance they have to keep away?"

"It all depends on how serious the reason is for wanting the order."

"How long did Fred and George get for a supposed death threat?"

"Five years. They have to go back and petition for it to be reinstated when it expires." Draco gave a low whistle.

"That's a long time," he said. "Impressive. Are these the same brothers who managed to slip Snape a candy that turned him into a bird?" Ginny and Ron exchanged glances, then burst into laughter.

"I thought I would _die!_" Ginny cackled gleefully. "I snuck out of my Charms class to watch it happen, and McGonagall caught me in the corridor. She would have given me detention if she hadn't been laughing so hard!"

"Me and Harry helped them sneak it into his classroom," Ron said proudly, a broad grin on his face. "And Hermione didn't speak to us for a whole week after she found out."

"Oh, those were great times," Ginny said, her voice turning wistful. "I really miss Fred and George, don't you, Ron?"

"More than I thought I would." Ginny cleared her throat, then went back to filling out the form. The three of them sat in silence, and the only sound in the room was the scratching of the quill against parchment. When Ginny had finished with the form, she handed it to Draco.

"All done." He bent over and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek and smiled at her.

"Thank you. We'll be back as soon as we're finished. Ready, Ron?" Ron nodded and stood. He gave Ginny a wink and a nod before heading into the hallway behind Draco. Ginny stood and went back to her room, pulling Hermione's letter out to examine it again. She dropped the parchment on the bed and sat down at the desk to scribble a quick note.

__

Hermione,

If you still want to meet, I can make it for tea. Let me know.

Ginny

She rolled up the parchment and pulled her cloak on before heading out to the stables where the owls were kept. She chose a small black owl and tied the parchment to its leg, then told it where to go. She let it loose and watched it as it took off.

"It was very kind of you not to tell anyone about the diary." She whirled around to face Lucius.

"It hadn't really even crossed my mind," she admitted. "I was worried when Draco introduced us, but when you didn't say anything about it, I forgot it."

"That's very noble of you. I wanted to ask you something, though." She watched as he walked towards the only cage in the room. It contained a single charcoal colored bird. "You said that what came from the diary wasn't all bad. What did you mean by that?"

"I didn't think that everything that happened to me was horrible," she said, watching him open the cage and stroke the bird gently. "I learned a lot from him while I was down there."

"You learned a lot from who?" Lucius asked cautiously.

"From Tom Riddle," she said. Lucius turned to stare at her.

"You did?"

"Yes," she said, nodding. "He's the one who taught me the beginnings of my Ceromancy. He helped me practice, and after Harry came and got me, I continued practicing on my own." Lucius closed the cage and eyed her carefully.

"Came and got you? Why, you don't sound at all as though you wanted to leave. Didn't he rescue you?"

"I'm sure he thinks so," she said, shrugging.

"Everyone else certainly thought so."

"The thing about it is that no one ever asked me if I wanted to leave," she said. "Everyone just assumed that he forced me to go down there, and that he was forcing me to stay down there."

"Didn't he?"

"No, he didn't. The only thing he ever forced me to do was write on the walls," she said.

"Interesting."

"It is, isn't it?" She opened her mouth to say more when the owl she'd sent out returned with a letter for her. She pulled the parchment off of the bird's leg and unrolled it.

__

Ginny,

Tea would be lovely! I'll have it ready by ten o'clock. I can't wait to see you!

Hermione

She stuffed the parchment into her pocket and turned to face Lucius. "I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I have to go." She started to walk past him, when he called out to her.

"Ginny," he said, jogging to catch up to her. "Do you, by any chance, know how to read Latin?"

"Yes," she said. He stared at her.

"You do?"

"Yes."

"I have something that needs translating. Would you mind looking at it for me when you return?" She gave him a warm smile.

"Of course not; I'd be happy to." She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. "Thank you."

"For what?" he asked, bemused.

"For being so good to me and my brother." With that, she turned and sprinted back towards the Manor, leaving him staring after her in amazement.


	35. Chapter 35

4

**Chapter Thirty Five**

Hermione had rearranged the place settings again. That made it five times in the last ten minutes, but she didn't care. It kept her raw nerves from getting the best of her. From the moment she'd sent the owl to Ginny, she'd wondered how she'd let Harry talk her into yet another one of his stupid schemes.

She made sure that the tea was kept hot with a warming charm, and then checked on the cookies that were in the oven. When there was nothing left to check on, she settled for wringing her hands in her usual worried fashion. What if Ginny decided not to come? Or what if she decided to come, but brought one of her new friends? What if she brought _Ron?_ She began chewing on her thumbnail. Harry wasn't nearby; he'd taken her at her word and assumed that she could handle herself, so he'd taken the entire day off and gone to some remote location to relax. There would be no help if she needed it.

She jumped when a knock sounded at her door, and silently berated herself for being so jumpy. After all, it was just Ginny, and what harm had Ginny ever done? She opened the door and smiled brilliantly at her former friend. Ginny returned the smile cautiously, and stepped inside.

"Do you want me to take your cloak?"

"I can hang it up myself, thanks," Ginny said, arching her eyebrow at Hermione. Hermione flushed and nodded, and then went into the kitchen to take the cookies out of the oven.

"You can go ahead and have a seat at the table if you'd like," Hermione called from the kitchen. Ginny sat down with her back to the door and reached for the teapot. Hermione carried a plate full of chocolate chip cookies into the room and sat it in the middle of the table before taking her own seat. "So, how have you been?"

"Wonderful," Ginny said, pouring herself a cup of tea. "I've been excellent."

"That's good to hear," Hermione said honestly, reaching for a cookie. Ginny stirred two lumps of sugar into her tea and waited for Hermione to continue. "Ginny, I meant what I said in my letter. I want us to remain friends, and I want to understand why things have happened the way they have."

"Well," Ginny sighed, sitting back in her chair. "It was really an accident to begin with, I think. Draco sort of ran into me one night while I was having cocoa outside in Hogsmeade. After that, he followed me for two weeks. We made a bet, I won, and as my reward, he promised to take me to a relative's wedding."

"This all happened because of a bet?" Hermione asked incredulously. Ginny nodded.

"But before the wedding, I met his mother, and we got along very well. He wound up asking me to stay at the Manor with them. And now," she said, holding up her left hand. Hermione's eyes fell on the ring, and her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped.

"Oh, my goodness," she breathed, staring at the sparkling diamonds. "Is that what I think it is?"

Ginny nodded. "He asked me to marry him last night." Hermione was floored. She sat back heavily in her chair.

"But it's only been a week since you left us."

"Things happened fast," Ginny said, shrugging. She sipped her tea and sighed as Hermione stared out the window. This visit was going to be longer than she'd hoped.

Draco handed the witch behind the counter the appropriate paperwork and a handful of carefully counted galleons. He rested his elbow on the counter and turned to Ron, who looked on edge.

"What's the matter?" Draco asked quietly. "We're perfectly within rights filing for these, and you know it." Ron shook his head.

"It's not that," he said, shifting uncomfortably. "Something's not right."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Harry's been following us for a while now, right?" Draco nodded. "But I haven't seen him all day. Something's going on. He would never just let up on us like this if he's so set on knowing what we're doing or where we're going." Draco frowned.

"You think he's up to something?"

"I do," Ron said, nodding.

"What do you think he'll do?"

"I don't know, but I'm starting to get very uncomfortable with the fact that we've left Ginny and Pansy alone – especially after he and Hermione saw the four of us out together the other day."

"Surely you don't think he'd do anything to either of the girls," Draco laughed softly. "Ginny is safe at the Manor, and Pansy is at your flat. Would he think to look for her there?"

"I wouldn't put it past him," Ron said darkly.

"Sign here, please," the witch behind the counter said. Draco took the quill from her and signed a document, then she gestured towards Ron. "Sign here, please." Ron did as he was told, and they watched as the witch took the signed parchments to an adjoining room to have them validated.

"Well, as soon as we're finished here, we'll go back to the Manor and-" his voice died, and Ron looked up. Harry was standing behind them, fury evident in his features. "Look who's here, Ron," Draco said, smirking. Harry's mouth dropped open.

"So you're on a first name basis now, are you?" he spat.

"Was there something you needed, Potter?" Draco drawled lazily. "Because as you can see, we're very busy."

"I was informed that there are four protective orders being filed against me," he seethed. Draco's eyebrows went up.

"Now how would that very classified information have made its way to you when we've just managed to file them moments ago? I believe that that's a security breach that needs to be looked into."

"Excuse me, Mister Malfoy?" the witch behind the desk asked. Draco turned and flashed her a dazzling smile.

"Yes?"

"I just need you to sign one more form before the protective order can be entered." Draco smiled obligingly and took the woman's quill. He paused with the quill over the paper and turned to Harry.

"You might want to put some distance between us, Potter. I've heard these things can get painful." Harry gave a low growl and watched as Draco signed the form.

"Those will never go through. You have to have statements from witnesses saying that I've been invasive to your privacy."

"Oh, I don't think that that will be a problem," Draco said, shrugging. Ron smirked at Harry, who tried to ignore him.

"I don't believe for a minute that you were able to get someone to say that," Harry said, shaking his head.

"You know, Potter, you really should be nicer to your friends. You never know when they're going to want to get back at you for being so rude to them." The witch came back with the papers and stared at Harry.

"Mister Potter, I'm afraid it would be in your best interest to leave before I activate these." Harry stared at her in disbelief, then turned to Draco and Ron.

"This won't last. Ginny will remove hers today, I guarantee it." Draco's eyes flashed dangerously.

"You leave my fiancée out of this," he snarled. Harry blinked in surprise.

"Your _what?"_

"His fiancée," Ron repeated. "They're going to be married."

"Like hell they are," Harry said. Draco narrowed his eyes and took a step towards Harry.

"Listen to me, and listen well, Scarhead. You don't look at her, you don't think about her, and you sure as hell don't speak to her. She's going to be my wife, which means that if you so much as burp in her general direction, I'll be there so fast it'll make your head spin."

Harry glared at him. "This isn't over." With that, he spun on his heel and left the room. Ron turned to Draco with a frown.

"He seemed pretty sure that Ginny would reverse her order today," he mused. "He's planning something."

"Don't be ridiculous," Draco said, waving a hand dismissively. "He has no way to get to Ginny."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Ron said, taking his papers and following Draco out the door. "If he wants something badly enough, he'll find a way to get around barriers."

"Will going back to the Manor and checking on her make you happy?"

"Yes, very."

"Fine – but let's stop and get Pansy first. I think the three of us need to have a little talk about what went on last night."

Draco, Pansy, and Ron returned to the Manor shortly after noon, and went straight to Ginny's room. Draco knocked loudly on the door. "Ginny, are you in there?" When no answer came, Draco turned steely eyes to Ron, who was frowning.

"Where else would she be?"

"Maybe we should check the library," Pansy suggested. Draco nodded and they hurried to the library, where they found Lucius reading through a thick volume. He peered over the top of his glasses before removing them.

"Is everything all right?" he asked concernedly. Draco's frown deepened.

"We can't find Ginny."

"She's gone," Lucius explained, placing his book on the end table. Draco's mouth dropped open, and Pansy and Ron stared.

"Gone?" Draco echoed. "Gone where?"

"I'm not sure. She was in the owlery when she got a letter from someone, and then she left in a bit of a hurry."

"Do you know what she did with the letter?"

"She put it in her pocket." Draco turned and barreled out of the room, running towards Ginny's room at breakneck speed. He pushed the door open and looked around quickly, his eyes falling on a scrap of parchment on Ginny's bed. Pansy and Ron rushed in as he picked it up and read. He growled and handed it to Ron, who read it out loud.

_Ginny,_

_I know that you're angry with me, so I'll understand if you don't answer this letter. I just wanted to tell you that no matter what happens, I'll always be your friend, and I'll always be here for you. I don't know what's happened to all of us – one minute, we're all together and happy, and the next minute, you've disappeared and Ron follows behind you. I want to be happy for you, to think that you're as happy as I was before Ron ended our engagement, but I don't know how to be. Please, Ginny, if you were ever really my friend, can you explain to me how this all happened? I promise to listen, if you'll just tell me what led you to be with Malfoy, and to try to understand. You were always my only female friend, and I want to be your friend still, even if I may not get to be your sister. If you can find it in your heart to speak to me again, I'd like to invite you to lunch at my flat today. Please owl me back if you accept. If I don't hear from you, I'll know your answer._

_Always,_

_Hermione_

"We got orders against Harry, but we never thought about Hermione," Ron murmured, glancing up at Pansy.

"It doesn't matter though, does it? I mean, Potter can't get close to Ginny, so he can't do anything to her, right?"

"Don't underestimate Hermione," Ron said, shaking his head. "If she's still siding with Harry, there's no telling what she'd be capable of."

"Do you know where she lives?" Draco asked. Ron nodded.

"Of course, but she's got wards up just the same as you do here."

"She won't have fixed the wards to keep you out," Draco pointed out. Ron nodded.

"So it's up to me then."

"Looks like it, unless you know specifically what wards she has up."

"I do."

"Then maybe Pansy and I have a chance as well. Let's get going."


	36. Chapter 36

Ginny sighed heavily as she watched Hermione take the teapot back to the kitchen to refill it. She blinked when Hermione pulled a vial from her pocket and emptied it into the teapot, and then proceeded to put the tea in on top of it. Hermione brought the pot back to the table and sat down.

"Hermione, what are you doing?" Ginny asked, her pulse speeding up a bit. Hermione frowned and looked puzzled.

"What are you talking about?"

"What did you put in the tea?" Hermione paled. Ginny realized too late that Hermione hadn't had a drop of tea since she'd arrived – she'd consumed the cookies, and that was it.

"Nothing, Ginny."

"I just saw you do it." Her head began spinning as she stood. "What was it? What have you done?" The longer Hermione took to answer, the more panicked she was becoming.

"It wasn't anything that will hurt you, I swear," Hermione said, her tone pleading. She stood and followed Ginny out of the dining room into the family room. "I promise, Ginny, I would never do anything to hurt you!"

"What have you done?" Ginny whispered, sinking down onto the couch as her vision went blurry. Hermione knelt in front of her.

"It was just a simple potion," she explained soothingly. "It's going to relax your muscles."

"Why?" Ginny's throat was beginning to feel dry. Hermione bowed her head in shame before speaking.

"I want Ron back," she said simply. "And if you come back to us, he will too."

"He won't," Ginny croaked. Her eyelids were getting heavy… so heavy… _it wouldn't hurt to close them for a moment, would it?_

"We've got to take that chance," Hermione said, her voice turning determined, even as a hot tear slipped down her cheek. "I have to do this, Ginny. If I don't, Harry might take even more drastic measures, and considering what the two of you know, they would be warranted. Please just relax and let me do what I have to do."

"Whaaa…" Ginny's voice slurred. She knew what she wanted to ask; her brain was fuzzy, but she was still capable of rational thought. She just couldn't get her body to cooperate – instead of running out the door, all it would do was lie on the couch.

Even though her eyes were closed, Ginny was painfully aware of the noise of Hermione moving around her. "I know that you're wondering what I'm going to do, but I promise it won't hurt a bit. I've just got to concentrate."

Ginny had no other choice but to listen as Hermione rifled through the pages of a book. She heard Hermione pull a chair up in front of Ginny. She almost thought she could hear Hermione chewing on her fingernails, a nervous habit that she'd never outgrown.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Hermione repeated softly. "I'm only going to modify your memory a bit, so that when it's all over, you'll be right back with us, where you belong." Ginny's throat constricted as Hermione's words penetrated her.

She was going to lose Draco.

All of the wonderful things that had happened to her in the last three weeks were going to be erased. Draco's memory, her engagement, and her relationships with Pansy, Lucius, and Narcissa were going to be eradicated. She could feel the tears stinging beneath her closed eyelids.

It hurt to think that a former best friend could do something so terrible to her, but at the same time, she almost understood Hermione's reasoning. If she lost Draco, wouldn't she go to such lengths to get him back? She felt a tear slip down her cheek, and almost immediately, Hermione wiped it away.

"You mustn't be sad, Ginny," she said. "Malfoy will go on and live his life, and you'll both be fine. This is best for everyone involved, really it is. You'll see." Hermione raised her wand and glanced down at her book one more time.

_"Memorie Raderan!"_ Ginny heard Hermione cast the spell, and a split second later she heard two crashes.

"What in the bloody hell-" her heart began to race. That was Ron's voice! "Gin, are you-" his voice died, and she felt him grab her wrist. He felt for a pulse and almost sobbed with relief when he found one. A split second later, Ginny heard more voices.

"Did you find her?"

"Is she all right?" Ginny's heart thudded wildly. Pansy and Draco were there, too, and she still remembered them! Hermione's spell hadn't worked!

"Sweet Circe," Pansy muttered, eyeing Hermione's limp body on the floor. "What in the hell happened here?"

"Are we too late?" Draco asked, rushing to Ginny's side. He pushed Ron's hand away and felt for a pulse. "She's alive, but why isn't she moving? I swear to Morgaine, if the Mudblood has hurt her-"

"She looks fine," Ron said, frowning. He turned her head to one side, then to the other. "I don't see any marks on her."

"What would Granger have done to her?" Pansy wondered aloud. Ron thought for a moment, then turned to her.

"Check the food. She wouldn't have attacked Ginny straight off; she would have used something else."

"Like what?"

"An enchanted item, or a potion, maybe," Ron said, standing up. He moved to where Hermione was lying and gently rifled through her pockets. He pulled out a small, empty vial. "Potion." Draco's eyes widened, and Pansy gasped in horror.

"What do you think it was?"

"Sleeping draught, maybe?" Ron guessed uncertainly. "Hermione's really good with potions. There's got to be a reason she wanted Ginny immobile, though."

"Why is _she_ on the floor too, then?" Pansy asked. Draco arched an eyebrow, and then held Ginny's left hand up.

"Granger must have tried to attack her with some sort of spell, and it backfired."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because this ring is enchanted for protection of the wearer," Draco said, smirking triumphantly. "She could have been tricked into ingesting a potion, but the ring is very basic protection against any sort of harmful spells. It's not terribly strong protection, but apparently it was enough in this case." Ron gave him an odd look.

"So you're saying that whatever spell Hermione tried to use on Ginny backfired onto her?" Draco nodded.

"Let's wake her up," Pansy suggested, nodding at Hermione. "And then we'll know what spell she used." Draco rolled his eyes.

"Really," he said scathingly. "Pans, did you pay _any_ attention to our teachers at Hogwarts?" She looked confused as Draco picked up Hermione's wand, then held his wand in the other hand.

_"Priori Incantato!" _The three of them watched, horrified, as the words "Memorie Raderan" appeared in the air. Ron raised his wand and pointed it at the glowing words.

_"Deletrius,"_ he muttered. The words dissipated, and they stared at each other in silence.

"I've never heard of that spell being cast successfully," Pansy said, her voice full of awe. "Is she powerful enough that it may have worked, and just made her unconscious from the effort?"

"She is," Ron said, grudging admiration in his voice.

"So how do we know if it worked?" Pansy asked despairingly.

"We'll have to take Ginny back to the Manor and just wait until she wakes up," Ron said. He shot a look at Draco, and found that the blonde was staring longingly at Ginny.

"And if it did work?"

"I don't know," Ron answered honestly. "It all depends on how much Hermione intended to erase and replace."

"Replace?"

"When you erase someone's memories with _Raderan_, you have to replace what you've taken, otherwise you cause permanent brain damage. It's not like _Obliviate_, where it just sort of lets the brain forget the memories. With _Obliviate_, the memories are still in your brain somewhere – you just can't remember them. With _Raderan_, the memories are _gone_," Ron explained.

"How do you know so much about it?" Pansy asked curiously. Ron's cheeks turned pink as he averted his eyes to the unconscious figure on the floor.

"I found the spell when I was doing some poking through Hermione's work files one night. She'd brought them home to work on them, and I went through them. When I asked her about it, she explained it to me." Draco turned his eyes to Ron.

"The Ministry has had Granger researching this?" Ron nodded, and Draco looked at Pansy. "That means that they're planning to use it. Possibly on captured Death Eaters, after they've gotten information from them." Pansy paled considerably.

"Merciful Morgaine," she whispered. She watched as Draco picked Ginny up and cradled her in his arms.

"We'll finish this conversation at home. There's no telling whether this place is safe to talk about this. Can we apparate from here?" he asked Ron.

"You can apparate out, but not in," he said, nodding. "But I thought you couldn't apparate into the Manor?"

"I can't," Draco said, shaking his head. "But I can apparate to the grounds. So can you. Why don't the two of you go ahead of me and find …" his voice died as he looked around, and Pansy nodded.

"I know what you're saying," she said, grabbing Ron's arm. "What should we do about her?" she asked, gesturing towards Hermione.

"Nothing," Ron said, sighing heavily. He met Draco's eyes. "I have a feeling that this is what Harry was talking about, so that means that he probably already knows we're here. He'll know the second we're gone, too."

"Can he blame this on us?" Pansy wondered.

"No. Hermione's wand will show that she cast the spell," Ron said. "Not to mention we have this." He held up the empty vial before sliding it in his pocket. "Better grab her wand to make sure that Harry doesn't take it and delete the spell." Pansy bent and grabbed the wand from the spot where Draco had tossed it.

"We'll see you back at the Manor," Pansy said, nodding at Draco. He gave her a curt nod and watched as she and Ron disapparated with a loud _pop_. He grabbed Ginny's cloak and wrapped it around her, and with her in his arms, disappeared as well.


	37. Chapter 37

Harry paced impatiently on the street below Hermione's fifth floor flat. He couldn't touch the doorknob, because every time he did, electric jolts racked his body. The more he touched the doorknob, the worse the shocks became. He knew that someone was up there; his only question was, was it only Ginny, like they'd planned? Ron had been giving him odd looks back at the Ministry.

He frowned.

They'd managed to get protective orders against him, but he was going to go back to the Ministry after talking to Hermione. He had to get them reversed, or he could lose Draco and Lucius. While Draco had a clean record and couldn't be arrested just yet, Harry knew that he was the key to bringing Lucius down, and he didn't want to let his chance just slip away.

He tried the doorknob reluctantly, yanking it open when no shock came. He bounded up the stairs and pounded on Hermione's door. "Hermione? It's Harry – are you in there?" When no answer came, his heart dropped into his stomach. He took out his wand, made sure no one was looking, and pointed it at the door. With a well-placed unlocking charm, the door swung open.

"Hermione?" he called. He took two steps inside the flat, and then froze as his eyes fell on the immobile body on the floor on front of him. He rushed to her side and dropped to his knees as he felt for a pulse. He sighed with relief as he found one, and then began gently slapping her cheeks. "Wake up, love. Harry's here."

When Hermione's eyes didn't open, his relief began to dissipate. He glanced around quickly, taking in his surroundings. Nothing was out of place, so it didn't appear that there had been a struggle of any sort. In fact, now that he looked around, the only signs that Hermione had had company were the two empty teacups sitting on the table. He frowned. Something was out of place here, although he couldn't yet put his finger on it. He picked Hermione up and apparated her to St. Mungo's.

* * *

When Draco finally made it inside the Manor, his parents were waiting along with Ron and Pansy. Narcissa fanned herself with her hand and took deep breaths in an effort to remain calm. Lucius rushed over to him and eyed Ginny's face.

"Take her to her bedroom, and I'll be there shortly." Draco nodded wordlessly and carried Ginny to her room while Pansy and Ron followed close behind. He laid her down on the bed and pulled the coverlet over her. Lucius hurried in shortly after, followed by his wife, who was carrying several books.

"Does anyone know what happened to her?" he asked, gently lifting each eyelid to peer at her eyes.

"She was given a potion of some sort, and then _Memorie Raderan _was used." Lucius' head snapped up and Narcissa's mouth dropped open.

"What?" Lucius asked. "Who in the world would try to use that on her? And why?"

"The Mudblood was trying to use it on her, and we don't know why." Draco's voice dripped with the loathing he felt. Lucius' eyes narrowed.

"Granger," he hissed. Draco nodded, and Ron shifted uncomfortably. Pansy put her arm around him to comfort him, and he responded in kind by wrapping her in a tight embrace. "I'm no expert when it comes to potions, but it looks as though she's been given a sleeping draught."

"Can't you get hold of Severus?" Narcissa suggested worriedly. "He'd be able to help, wouldn't he?" Lucius nodded.

"Draco, go get the black owl and let Severus know that we need him." Draco nodded and headed towards the door. Before he could leave the room, however, Ron shot out a hand and grabbed his arm to stop him.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," Ron said quietly. Lucius arched an eyebrow and Draco frowned.

"Why not?"

"Because Snape would turn us in, rather than help us." He let go of Draco's arm and met Lucius' eyes.

"What would make you say such a thing?" Lucius asked curiously. Ron sighed.

"Snape has been a double agent for the past several years," Ron admitted. Lucius' face turned red. "He's been reporting everything to Dumbledore." Draco's eyes widened, and he turned to look at his father.

"So what do we do now? We need help!"

"Go ahead and summon Severus here," Lucius said, struggling to maintain his calm façade. "Behave as though nothing unusual has happened. Tell him you have a friend here who has ingested a potion of sorts, and the effects it's having on her, and that you need his help. We'll deal with him further after he's arrived and attended to her." Draco nodded and headed out of the room as fast as his legs could carry him. Lucius turned back to Ron.

"Thank you for that information," he said softly. Ron nodded and held Pansy tightly. "You didn't have to tell us that, you know."

"I know. I did it for everyone, especially Ginny. She doesn't need for Snape to come over here and take her away."

"What makes you think he would do such a thing?" Narcissa asked, pressing a fragile hand to her breast.

"He's known for a bit that Ginny has been talking to Draco, and he's told us as much. None of us believed him. He'd bring her back just to prove to us that he could do it."

"How did he know that she'd been talking to him?"

"He's a Legilimens." Lucius' frown deepened, and Narcissa gasped.

"And he must also be an Occlumens," Pansy pondered, glancing at Lucius. "Otherwise the Dark Lord would have known… he would have seen."

"It would seem that our dear friend Severus has more facets to his personality than we realize," Lucius mused aloud. Draco reentered the room, panting for air.

"Ran the entire way," he gasped, bending over and putting his hands on his knees. "Sent the owl."

"Good. Is there anything else that we should know before Severus arrives?" Lucius asked Ron.

"He taught Harry Occlumency." Draco stared at Ron.

"Potter is an Occlumens?"

"And a Legilimens, although that part happened by accident," Ron said, nodding. Draco swore softly under his breath.

"If he's a Legilimens, why didn't he see anything about Ginny wanting to come stay here, or anything related to that?" Ron met his gaze and held it.

"Because he didn't look. He didn't care." Draco was going to say more, but before he could, an owl tapped on the window. They all watched with bated breath as Lucius opened the window, retrieved the parchment attached to the bird's leg, and unrolled it. His eyes scanned the page as he read. He folded the parchment and looked up.

"He's on his way."

* * *

Harry paced the corridor outside of the examining room that Hermione was in. They wouldn't let him inside to be with her, citing their need for privacy as the reason why. He paced endlessly, wondering if he could wear his path into the tiled floor. Just then the door opened, and the attending MediWitch stepped out, closing the door behind her. Harry's face paled when he saw no trace of happiness in her features.

"Mister Potter, I think you should have a seat."

"Why? What's wrong with her?" The MediWitch sighed and cleared her throat. She wasn't meeting his eyes, so he couldn't use his Legilimency to find anything out.

"She's perfectly healthy," the woman began. Harry tensed.

"So what's wrong, then?"

"She's physically fine. Her mental state is another matter altogether." The blood drained from Harry's face.

"What?"

"She has no recollection of her name, her family, her childhood – nothing. There are no memories. She has no idea who she is."

"But you can rebuild those things, can't you?"

"If she had been Obliviated, we could. She hasn't been Obliviated, though, Mister Potter. A much stronger memory spell was used." Harry shifted nervously. He knew what spell had been used; had shown it to Hermione himself. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do."

"Nothing?" he echoed flatly. She shook her head.

"Are you responsible for this woman, or does she have family?"

"She only has me," he said quietly, his throat constricting. "Only me."

"You have choices. You can keep her at your home and take care of her, or you could leave her here. She could stay in ward forty nine." Harry stared emptily at her.

"Ward forty nine?"

"The Janus Thickey ward, on the fourth floor." Harry's eyes registered his recognition.

"The crazy ward?" he hissed angrily. She tapped her foot impatiently at him.

"Those people are not crazy, Mister Potter. They're spell damaged, and you'd do well to remember that your friend is now among their number."

"I'll take her home with me," he said defiantly.

"Do you realize what sort of care that entails? The girl can't even go to the loo by herself anymore! She doesn't remember how!" Harry's anger faded into sadness and guilt. Somehow she'd attempted to perform the spell on Ginny, and it had backfired. So Ginny was left with her memories, and his best friend, his Hermione, was for all intents and purposes, gone. If only he'd never suggested the spell… no. His temper flared. It was all Ginny and Ron's fault – if they had stayed where they belonged, instead of letting Malfoy's money romance them, then none of this would have happened.

"Can I see her?" he asked. The woman nodded.

"For five minutes. Then visiting hours are over." Harry nodded solemnly and hesitated before pushing the door open. Hermione turned to look at him, and chills ran down his spine at her empty stare.

"Hey, Mione," he said gently, sitting down on the side of her bed. "It's Harry. Your best friend, remember?" His heart plummeted when she only stared at him in response.

"I'm sorry that this happened, Mione," he said, his throat constricting. "I'm going to get them back for doing this to you, I swear it. And I'm going to come back and see you tomorrow. I love you, Mione." He leaned over and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. She cocked her head to the side and gave him a puzzled look. Hope flared for a moment, but died in the next when she closed her eyes and rolled over. He stood and went to the door, casting a longing glance at her before his expression hardened. He left the room and headed back to the Ministry.

He'd get Ginny, Ron, and Draco – but first things first. He had to find out who had given the statement for the protective orders and confront them before he did anything else.


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty Eight** (short, but good chapter)

Padma stepped out of the shower and reached blindly for her towel. When she had wrapped it around herself, she opened the bathroom door and ran face-first into Harry. She blinked in surprise, and then frowned.

"Harry, what are you doing here? We didn't have a date tonight, did we?" His cold eyes sent shivers through her as he stared at her.

"No, we didn't. And I don't think we'll be seeing much of each other in the future, either." She rolled her eyes and pushed past him.

"In that case, I think it would be in your best interests to leave my flat." She began rummaging through a dresser drawer. He grabbed her arm and yanked on it, turning her around to face him. She winced at the contact; he was gripping her so tightly that he was going to leave a bruise.

"What in the hell possessed you to give statements to Draco Malfoy, of all people?" he hissed angrily.

"I only told the truth," she said defensively, sticking her chin out. "And besides, I was mad at you."

"You were mad at me," he snorted. She nodded. "So you gave damaging statements to an enemy out of spite to what, teach me a lesson?"

"I only told the truth," she repeated. "I didn't make anything up. He came to me and asked me, and I told him."

"How much did he pay you?" he asked, his grip on her arm tightening. She winced in pain.

"He didn't pay me anything, Harry."

"Liar! How much did he give you?"

"Nothing!" she screamed, tears stinging her eyes. "He didn't give me anything. He didn't have to!" Harry let go of her and turned away, heading towards her door. When he reached it, he stopped and looked at her.

"You're going to regret doing that, for more reasons than one. It would be in your best interests to stay away from me and everyone I'm friends with." She shivered at his words, and he disappeared through the door. When he had gone, she collapsed into a heap on her bed and sobbed uncontrollably.

* * *

"She did it to get back at me," Harry said calmly. He was seated in the Minister of Magic's own office, his fingers curled around a Styrofoam cup filled with coffee. He watched as the steam swirled up in tiny wisps, and then lifted his eyes to meet the Minister's.

"Well, Harry, this is a sorry day, indeed," Amelia Bones said, shaking her head. "It's sad to think that your girlfriend gave damning statements to people that allowed them to get orders of protection against you. It's even sadder that it's turned out the way it has. I can't tell you how sorry I am that your friend was attacked. Hermione was such an asset to the Ministry's operations – such a clever witch." She clucked her tongue softly, and Harry nodded.

"Yes, Ma'am, it is sad. But the fact remains that if Padma hadn't given those false statements, I could have protected Hermione." Amelia looked up at him, eyeing him thoughtfully across her desk.

"You're telling me that one or more of the people that had the order against you attacked Miss Granger?"

"I am."

"That's a serious accusation, Harry. Can you offer me any concrete proof of your allegation?"

"Not yet."

"Then I'm afraid that there's nothing I can do at the present time."

"Can't you get the orders reversed? After all, they were filed with false statements as their basis."

"I'm sure I can do that for you, at least. Just let me send a memo down to Annette's desk, and we'll have it cleared up in a jiffy." Harry smiled at her.

"Thank you, Minister."

"It's not a problem, Harry. Any time that there's something I can do for you, you just let me know." Harry nodded and watched as she bent over a piece of parchment.

"Trust me, I will."

* * *

"He's here," Narcissa said anxiously. Lucius nodded and patted her hand reassuringly as the house elves scurried to announce Snape's presence. Snape ignored them and swept into Ginny's room in a flurry of his black robes. He froze when his eyes fell on the figure that was motionless on the bed. After a moment, his eyes flickered up and landed on Ron, who was still holding Pansy. He glanced at Draco, who was sitting by the bed, holding Ginny's hand, and then his eyes settled on Lucius and Narcissa. If he was surprised at the scene before him, he didn't show it.

"What seems to be the trouble here?" he asked calmly. Lucius rose from his seat and stepped forward.

"The girl has ingested a potion that seems to have put her to sleep. We've tried everything, and we can't get her to wake." Snape nodded curtly and stepped forward, moving to the side of the bed. He bent over Ginny and sniffed gently. Draco watched his former potions master with a heavy heart; would he be able to wake Ginny? Snape picked up Ginny's hands and examined her fingernails, then examined a lock of hair. He turned back to Lucius.

"It's not a sleeping draught," he said matter-of-factly. "All sleeping draughts use ginger root, which gives off a strong odor."

"Can you tell what it is?" Ron asked.

"Can you wake her up?" Draco asked, trying to hide his trembling hands. Snape arched an eyebrow at him.

"Of course I can wake her up," he snapped. Draco looked relieved.

"What do you need?" Lucius asked.

"A frozen Runespoor egg, boomslang skin, an erumpent tail, spine of lionfish, and powdered moonstone." Ron gaped at him.

"A frozen Runespoor egg?" he asked disbelievingly. "Runespoors are illegal, Snape! Where in the bloody hell are they going to get a-"

"It's fine, Ron," Pansy said softly, shaking her head. Ron shut his mouth and stared at Pansy. Snape eyed them intently.

"I'll get your ingredients," Lucius said, heading towards the door. "Everyone stay in here with Ginny." Snape peered around at the room's inhabitants.

"What an interesting gathering you have here," he murmured. Draco's eyes narrowed.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Snape met his eyes for a moment, then sighed quietly.

"I wasn't trying to offend your affianced," he said evenly. Draco's eyes widened slightly.

"So it's true, then."

"It would seem so." He turned to glance at Ron, who quickly averted his eyes. He was in very real danger here. Snape felt a quick stab of fear; Ron had told the Malfoys his secret, which meant that Lucius would no doubt tell Voldemort. They waited in silence until Lucius returned with the ingredients and a medium-sized cauldron. "I need a bigger cauldron."

"I don't have anything bigger right now," Lucius began. Narcissa shook her head and stood. All eyes were on her as she opened Ginny's closet and pulled her silver bowl from the topmost shelf. She shoved it at Snape.

"Use this."

"Cissa, that's your good-"She held her hand up to silence her husband.

"It can be replaced. Ginevra is what's important right now." Draco's heart swelled as his father embraced his mother tightly. Snape pretended to ignore the scene and began preparing the ingredients. Draco watched with growing interest as Snape began a small fire of blue flames beneath the bowl, and then combined the items in a calculated manner. After he had stirred it sixteen times counter-clockwise, he looked up.

"It has to simmer for four hours before it will be ready for her to ingest." A collective release of held breaths went up, and Pansy buried her face in the front of Ron's shirt. Draco turned back to Ginny and raised the back of her hand to his lips. Narcissa excused herself and headed towards the kitchens to instruct the house elves to ready tea and some sort of food for everyone present. Lucius inclined his head towards Snape.

"We have some things to discuss, old friend. Why don't we go to my study?" Snape nodded almost imperceptibly, and followed Lucius out of the room without a glance behind him.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty Nine

"Severus, a certain fact has been brought to my attention," Lucius began, his eyes focused on the greasy-haired man he'd known since he was eleven. "And it's disturbing to me."

"Yes," was all Snape said. Lucius frowned.

"I've been told that you've been spying on our Lord and reporting your findings to Dumbledore. Surely you know that in the end, this can only serve to your disadvantage."

"How so?"

"You know as well as I that our Lord is much stronger than Dumbledore could ever hope to be. He has a more loyal and level-headed following, as well." Snape arched an eyebrow, and Lucius could only guess that he was thinking of the LeStranges. He cleared his throat. "Well, on the whole, anyway."

"Are you turning me in to the Dark Lord, or not?" Snape asked flatly. Lucius massaged his temple gently.

"I don't want to, Severus, but in light of recent events, you give me no choice. We've been friends a long time, and it pains me to do something like this."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, give me a reason not to. Give me a reason not to do it." Lucius leaned forward expectantly. Snape looked mildly surprised.

"Is there anything I could say or do to deter you from your intended course of action?"

"Prove to me that you can be loyal to Our Lord. Prove to me that you can stop being that old fool's liaison, and reenter the fold truly."

"Let me make sure I understand fully what you're asking me to do," Snape said, arching an eyebrow. "You want me to renounce my spy status and become a full fledged Death Eater again?"

"Yes," Lucius nodded emphatically. "That's exactly what I'm asking. You know who the winning side will be, Severus. Deep down, you know. And now we've got invaluable weapons on our side. Our victory is all but guaranteed."

"You are, I assume, referring to the two Weasley children who are here this evening?"

"Yes."

"And how do they constitute valuable weapons, may I ask? The boy is nothing more than Potter's shadow, and the girl..."

"You already know the girl's value. If you didn't, you wouldn't have alerted her brother to the fact that she was going astray."

"Let's assume for a moment that you're right, and I know their value," Snape said, stroking his chin with his thumb and forefinger. "How do you know that they won't turn coat and run back to Potter at the first sign of trouble?"

"Ginny's already had plenty of chances to run, and she hasn't. She defended my son before they became enamored of each other. As to the boy, I have to question your odium for him."

"He's Potter's sidekick. They do everything together, and the laws that apply to regular people like you and I do not apply to them." Lucius shook his head.

"I think you're wrong, my old friend. Ron has become fast friends with Pansy, and although I can tell that there is still friction between he and Draco, he has done his best to be friendly towards him for his sister's sake. The boy is smarter than Potter gave him credit for, I think. Is it possible that your loathing of him is simply an extension of the loathing you feel for Potter?"

Snape considered this carefully before replying with, "It is possible." Lucius nodded knowingly.

"Would you consider my plea, then? We've been friends for too long, and I would hate to see anything happen to you, especially when I could have prevented it." Snape nodded.

"I will consider it." Lucius sat back in his chair and touched his fingertips together.

"That is all I can ask." As they sat in silence, a knock sounded on the door. "Come in." Narcissa opened the door and hurried to Lucius' side.

"Darling, there's something you must see." She handed her husband a rolled-up piece of parchment, and he unrolled it. His eyes moved quickly over the page. When he'd finished, he jumped up.

"Have you told Draco yet?" His wife shook her head.

"No, I brought it straight to you."

"Is something the matter?" Snape asked. Lucius nodded.

"Indeed, there is something wrong. Draco has the right to know, and we'd better go tell him now." With that, he took off, moving quickly through the corridors, until he came to Ginny's room. When he went inside, he found that Pansy and Ron were sitting on the floor near Draco, while Draco remained in the same chair he'd been sitting in since he'd brought Ginny home. He looked up when the three adults entered.

"It's not ready yet," he said, frowning. It's only been an hour."

"I know it's not ready yet," Lucius said. "A Ministry owl has just been here, and your mother brought me the letter. I think you should see it." Draco's frown deepened as he unrolled the parchment his father handed him.

_Ministry of Magic_

_Department of Magical Law Enforcement_

_Wizengamot Administration Services_

_To Whom It May Concern:_

_ It has been brought to the attention of this office that an order of protection was granted earlier this morning to you against Harry J. Potter. Please be informed that the statement the order was based on has been confirmed as falsified, therefore the order is rescinded. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office._

_Best Regards,_

_Amelia Bones_

_Minister of Magic_

Draco crumpled the parchment into a ball and hurled it across the room. He turned to Pansy and Ron, his face red with rage. "Potter's gotten the protective orders rescinded." Pansy gasped, and Ron stared.

"He's done it again," he murmured, turning to Snape. "He gets everything bloody well handed to him on a silver platter! It's not going to matter if we pursue anything legally, because he's going to find a way to undo whatever we do!" Snape arched an eyebrow at him, but said nothing.

"What can we do?" Pansy asked, gesturing helplessly with her hands. "Now he can follow us again."

"He wants Lucius," Snape offered softly. All eyes in the room turned to him, and he turned to look at his friend. "He wants you, no matter the cost. The boy is a loose cannon, and he is reckless. Use it against him."

"How?" Lucius asked.

"How did he find out where the statements came from?" Pansy paled and turned to Draco.

"Do you think he realized who supplied the statements?" Snape snorted derisively.

"Don't be stupid, girl! He doesn't have to _realize_ anything. He's got people scattered all over the Ministry building who will give him information at a moment's request!"

"So how do we fight him?"

"He's already been dealt a severe blow, and he's going to be out for blood."

"What do you mean?" Draco asked.

"Apparently Miss Granger was attacked this afternoon." Draco's face turned scarlet.

"Attacked, my arse!" he raged. His mother gave him a reproachful look that he ignored. "She tried to perform _Raderan_ on my fiancée!"

"Have you proof?"

"Of course! I have her wand and the empty vial from the potion that she slipped Ginny."

"What good is the proof going to do us if Harry's got the Minister of Magic in his pocket?" Ron asked.

"Not much," Pansy conceded quietly. Ron looked thoughtful for a moment, and then slowly lifted his eyes to meet Lucius'.

"We can't fight him through conventional means," he said pointedly. Lucius blinked in surprise. "We have to use his own weapons against him."

"What weapons?"

"Obviously they've been working on the _Raderan_ spell for a while," Ron said. "They never told me what they're planning to use it for, but surely we can find a counter spell for it. There is one; Hermione told me about it when we talked about the spell."

"I can take the information to our Lord and see what he makes of it," Lucius offered. Ron shook his head.

"I want to be there." Pansy gaped openly at Ron, and Draco nodded.

"Do you realize what you're saying, Ron?" she asked disbelievingly. "In order to do that, you'd have to take the mark."

"He hurt my sister," Ron said, his expression hardening. "He was just going to let her walk away from us. Then he banned her from the meetings, pushing her farther away. He tried to interfere when I said I wanted to get her back. And now he would have erased her memory. What happens to him for his illegal activity? Nothing. He gets a pat on the back, and the orders are rescinded. I can't let that happen."

"You'd be willing to mobilize against Potter?" Draco asked cautiously. Ron turned determined eyes to him and gave a slow nod.

"I would." Lucius glanced at Snape, who raised his eyebrows. Ron turned to Lucius. "When can I join?"


	40. Chapter 40

"It's finished," Snape said quietly. Draco looked up quickly.

"What do we have to do?" he asked. Snape arched an eyebrow at him as he poured the potion into a vial with experienced hands.

"Open her mouth. I'm going to pour it down her throat a little at a time. You're going to have to sit her up occasionally to make sure that she doesn't choke on it."

"And you're sure that this is going to work?" Ron asked. Snape shot him a severe look, and Ron's face flushed. He watched as Snape moved to stand in front of Draco. The blonde boy raised Ginny up and held her gently as Snape poured some of the brew into her mouth. A tiny trail of purplish liquid dribbled down the side of her mouth and over her chin.

Everyone was wise enough to stay silent while Snape worked, even though it was a painstaking effort to have to do so. He was a very patient man, however, and it was clear that he was in no hurry to administer the remedy. Draco watched Ginny's face intently for any sign of movement, or any other indication that she was waking up. After several minutes of nothing, he began to despair. He remained quiet until Snape had finished giving Ginny the entire amount of potion that had been in the vial.

"Why hasn't she woken up yet?" he asked.

"The potion doesn't act immediately," Snape said, his voice toneless. It was as close to sympathy as Draco would get, and he seemed to sense it. "It has to spread through her system and counteract the draft she was given earlier. As you may remember," he said dryly, "Miss Granger was a competent potions student. I expect that her draft was very potent." Draco nodded and turned his eyes back to Ginny.

"And now I guess we wait," Pansy said, leaning against Ron for support.

"And now we wait," Ron agreed, resting his head against hers. Narcissa eyed the couple thoughtfully, marveling at how at ease they seemed with each other. Then again, Pansy had always had an easygoing personality. She hadn't known Ron long enough to gauge whether his personality was similar to Pansy's, but so far they appeared to be alike enough.

"Why don't we all go have some tea and scones?" Narcissa suggested. "There's no telling when she'll wake up, and I'm sure Draco will want to be alone with her when she does." Draco shot her a grateful look, and she stood. "Come, now. We can't do her any good by just sitting here and moping."

"You're absolutely right," Lucius said, nodding. "And I believe I'd like a glass of brandy right about now. Severus, would you care to join me?" Snape stood without nodding or speaking.

"You'll call when she wakes up, right?" Ron asked Draco uncertainly. Draco nodded.

"I will."

"Then scones sound good to me," Ron said, standing. He reached for Pansy's hand and helped her to her feet.

"Me, too." She offered him a sympathetic smile, and he squeezed her hand. Narcissa smiled at them, and then left the room, heading for the dining room. One by one they all filed out, until Draco was left alone with Ginny.

He held her hand and stroked it gently with his fingertips as he stared at her face. If he hadn't known better, he would have thought her simply to be asleep. Her face was peaceful and showed no signs of anything negative. He pressed a kiss to the back of her hand again before smiling weakly at her.

"You know," he said quietly. "I never thought in a million years that I could care about anyone so much. It feels strange to see you like this; I'm so used to you laughing and talking to me. I can't wait to have you do that again, even if it is just to call me a prat." He chuckled to himself, and was startled when warm fingers tried to squeeze his hand. He looked up in surprise to see her eyelids fluttering.

He let go of her hand and jumped up, moving closer. Her eyes opened slowly and she blinked them in rapid succession. After several long moments, she shifted her eyes to look at Draco. A smile spread across his face, and he gathered her up gently in his arms. "Oh, thank Circe," he murmured. "I was beginning to wonder if I'd lost you."

"I…" he pulled away as she tried to speak. Her throat felt raw and sore, and her voice had been little more than a raspy breath. He could see that she was still weak; her body hadn't had time to completely absorb the potion yet. She gave him a watery smile, and his heart began to swell.

"Don't ever leave me like that again," he whispered, stroking the side of her face gently. She managed to move her head a tiny bit – just enough that he knew that she was shaking her head no. He smiled and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. "Rest now. Everyone's here, and we'll still be here when you're able to talk." She closed her eyes and sighed softly. When he was sure she was asleep, he released her hand and moved to the parlor, where everyone else was waiting. Ron's head snapped up, and he stood quickly.

"Is she awake?"

"She was for a second, but she couldn't talk," Draco said, shaking his head.

"A natural reaction," Snape said. "She ingested a muscle relaxer, so her muscles are going to need to be woken up before she'll be able to do much of anything."

"How long will it take for her to be back to normal again?" Narcissa asked.

"A day, at the most, unless Granger brewed the potion incorrectly." Ron snorted.

"All right, Ginny's going to be fine, but what do we do about Potter now?" Draco asked, glancing around.

"I'll tell you everything I know," Ron offered. Snape looked slightly surprised. Pansy clutched Ron's arm, and Lucius watched silently. "And when Ginny wakes up, I'm sure she'll have plenty she can tell you, too."

"That's all well and good, but I mean _now._ I want justice for him and the Mudblood trying to wipe my future wife's memory clean!"

"You don't have to worry about Granger," Snape said silkily. Draco turned to look at him.

"Why not?"

"The spell apparently backfired. She's currently in Ward forty nine of St. Mungo's. The girl has no idea who she is." Ron's eyes widened, and Draco smirked.

"Serves them right," he murmured. "So she's taken care of."

"Draco, darling," Narcissa began, standing up. "Is there any way that I can convince you to hold off on your plans for revenge and concentrate on your wedding instead? I think that in light of recent events, we all need a little bit of joy in our lives."

"But we haven't even discussed dates," he protested, frowning.

"Your mother's right, Son," Lucius said, nodding. "Our Lord will want to be involved in whatever plans we have for the Boy Who Lived, so we may as well wait until the next time he calls us to discuss it. Plan your wedding, and be happy while you can."

"What do you mean, while I can?"

"War is approaching swiftly," Lucius said. "All of the signs are there. I think Potter has been weakened more than he realizes. He's lost both of his best friends, and he's lost his girlfriend. He is at an emotional low point right now."

"I wouldn't count on it," Ron said, shaking his head. "Hermione's loss is going to be what hurts him the most, but I wouldn't count on him being too bothered by me or Padma."

"How can losing his girlfriend not bother him?" Draco asked, looking disgusted.

"He didn't love her," Ron said.

"Then why did he date her? Weren't they pretty serious?" Pansy wondered aloud.

"He dated her because she didn't fawn over him like the other girls did."

"That's the most idiotic reason I've ever heard for the basis of a relationship," Pansy said, shaking her head. "Millicent told me that she'd heard that he was going to propose to her."

"Harry would never have married Padma. He'll never get married. I think that the only woman he ever would have been married to and been happy with was Hermione." Draco and Pansy both look startled.

"But you were engaged to her," Pansy said, confused. "Right?"

"That doesn't mean that I was ignorant to Harry's feelings for her," Ron said, shrugging. "I tried to be a lot of the time, but sometimes it was too much to ignore."

"That must have been very difficult for you to have had to deal with," Narcissa said sympathetically. Ron just shrugged again.

"Sometimes." He turned and hugged Pansy close, and Draco averted his eyes.

"I'll broach the subject with Ginny after she's been awake for a while," Draco said tiredly. Narcissa looked closely at her son. There were circles forming beneath his eyes and his clothes were rumpled. He looked exhausted.

"Darling," she said, moving closer to him. "Why don't you go back and sit by Ginevra? You can rest while you wait, and I'm sure she'd appreciate you being with her." He nodded and left the room without another word. When he was out of earshot, Narcissa frowned at her husband. "I don't know what's happened today, but Draco looks worse for it."

"He's been through a lot today, Cissa. I imagine it's been a very emotional day for him. He'll be fine after a good night's sleep."

"You know he won't get a good night's sleep, Lucius! He's going to stay awake all night, waiting for her to awaken."

"What are you suggesting, love?"

"Severus, can't you make a sleeping draught for him? A gentle one, so he can get some rest? He's going to need all of his strength when he decides to go after that boy, and if I know my son, he _will_ go after him, sooner than later."

"Not without us, he won't," Ron said.

"It's nice that you want to help him," Narcissa said, smiling gently. "But I know how he is, and when he goes, he will do it alone."

"She's right," Lucius said. No one could mistake the pride in his voice for anything else as he spoke. "Draco's a determined young man. Nothing can stop him from getting what he wants."

"He won't be able to get to Harry alone," Ron protested. "He'll need to know the wards and protective spells that Harry has around him!"

"Was Potter stupid enough to share that information?" Lucius asked, surprised.

"Potter is foolish enough to do anything that he thinks he can get away with," Snape remarked coolly.

"I know more than Harry thinks I do. I know secret ways to get inside the Ministry, I know how to get inside his flat, and I know how to get inside Hermione's flat."

"Granger's flat," Pansy repeated thoughtfully. Her face brightened. "She might have had some sort of information there, right? I mean, you did say that you saw some work files once. Maybe she has some more there!"

"Surely the Ministry has eradicated anything like that from her home," Lucius said.

"I don't know," Ron said, shaking his head. "They're really overworked right now, and shorthanded, to boot. It's possible that there's still some stuff there, unless Harry's gone through and gotten it all."

"Potter hasn't gone to Granger's home," Snape said. "He's been holed up inside the Minstry since the incident this afternoon. He's been in secret meetings with the Minister almost all day."

"Figures," Ron said, frowning.

"So why don't you and I head over there?" Pansy suggested. "You can counter the wards and we can look around."

"Sounds like a plan. When will you be ready to leave?"

"Right now." Before they could move, however, Lucius grabbed his forearm in pain. Snape winced, and Pansy gasped. Ron's eyes widened slightly.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"We have to go," Pansy explained quickly. They watched as Lucius and Snape disapparated, and Narcissa knew that her son was most likely gone as well. She headed towards Ginny's room, intent on staying with her until her son returned to his post.

"Take me with you."

"Are you sure that this is what you want to do? There's no going back after it's done."

"I'm ready." Pansy could only nod as she gripped Ron's hand and disapparated.

* * *

"Granger spent too much time organizing," Pansy complained, rifling through a file cabinet in Hermione's living room. Ron gave her a wry smile.

"Be thankful that she was so organized – because she was, she made things easy for us to find. We'd better hurry though, and get what we need, before Harry thinks to come back here."

"You're a bit late for that," a voice came from the doorway. Ron's head shot up, and Pansy's eyes widened at the sight of a very angry Harry Potter in the flat with them. "Looks like we had the same idea, doesn't it?"

"No, I'd say it looks like we had totally different ideas," Ron said edgily. He moved in front of Pansy, blocking her from Harry's reach with the wand. Harry arched an eyebrow at him.

"Don't tell me that this is why you left Hermione," he said. Ron shook his head.

"She's not."

"Ron, what's really going on here?" Harry asked, lowering his wand slightly. "I know you're mad at me over your sister, but come on! Look at all the trouble she's caused! Did you know that she hurt Hermione, or do you even care anymore?"

"My sister didn't hurt Hermione," Ron said defensively. "Hermione brought it on herself! She tried to use a spell on my sister, and it backfired on her! She had to know there was a chance of that before she did it. What I can't figure out is how you convinced her to do it." Harry's cheeks turned red.

"Me? What makes you think I had anything to do with it?"

"I know Hermione, Harry, and I know you. I know Hermione would never have dreamed of attacking a friend unless you somehow talked her into it. That's how you always got us; you decided something, and then made it seem like the only logical way to get what we wanted was how you'd suggested it."

"You're twisting things," Harry said, shaking his head. "I'm not manipulative."

"You are! If anyone should have guilt over Hermione's current condition, it should be you. She was just fine when I left her. Sad and angry, yes; but at least she still knew who she was." Harry's mouth tightened into a thin line.

"Don't talk about her like that." Ron shook his head disbelievingly.

"If you really loved Hermione, you wouldn't have put her in harm's way by asking her to do what you did. You were perfectly all right with the fact that Ginny could have been reduced to a shell of her former self, but when it comes to Hermione, you blame me."

"It's your fault," Harry accused, stepping closer. Pansy instinctively grabbed onto Ron's arm, and Harry's eyes narrowed. "She's a Death Eater, Ron. How can you be with her and know that she's a Death Eater?" Without speaking, Ron held out his left arm and rolled the sleeve up. Harry's eyes fell on his freckled skin, and he gasped.

There, on the underside of Ron's left forearm, was the Dark Mark.

"No," Harry said, shaking his head. "No. It can't be." Ron calmly rolled his sleeve back up and leveled a calculated glare at Harry.

"You drove me to it, Harry. How does it feel, knowing that you're responsible for me and Hermione, hmm?" Harry stared at him.

"You know that this makes us enemies," Harry said quietly.

"We were enemies before this happened," Ron said coolly. "Pansy, go back. I'll be right behind you." Pansy didn't question him; she was gone in a moment.

"That was very stupid of you," Harry said, the ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. "Now you're alone."

"No, you're alone, Harry. No one to catch you when you fall. And make no mistake about it – you _will_ fall."

"Carrying a family grudge a bit far, aren't you?"

"Hypocrite." Harry cocked his head slightly.

"Interesting choice of words." He pointed his wand at Ron's heart. "You know, if I used an Unforgivable Curse on a Death Eater, I wouldn't be convicted for it."

"You would for me," Ron said, his frown smoothing out into a smirk. "Because I've gotten a new sort of mark. As soon as my heart stops beating, it disappears. You'd never be able to prove I had it." Harry's confident look faltered for a moment.

"You're lying."

"Care to try it and see?" Harry didn't move. "I thought not. Well, as fun as this has been, Harry, I have to be checking on my sister. Let's do this again sometime, shall we?" With that, he disapparated. Harry threw his wand down in frustration and kicked the sofa.

Now the count of people he'd lost was up to four – Padma, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron. Who would be the next to desert him?


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

As soon as Ron stepped into the Malfoy Library, Pansy launched herself at him, wrapping him tightly in her arms. She rained tiny kisses all over his face, making him chuckle at her.

"Gods, Ron, I thought he was going to _Obliviate_ us both!"

"He can't. As much as he would like to, and as much as he would like us to believe he can, he can't. Even Harry Potter would have to answer to the Ministry if Ginny or I turned up dead or otherwise harmed by his hand. Our father would see to that." He paused for a moment, taking the opportunity to kiss her properly.

"Oh," she whispered as he pulled away. He rested his forehead against hers.

"Has Ginny woken up yet?"

"Not yet. Draco is still gone, and Narcissa is in her room with her." She gave him a mischievous look, and he blinked.

"What is that look about?"

"You haven't asked me if I managed to grab anything from Granger's flat yet."

"Thank you for pointing out that you grabbed something," he said, laughing. "What did you get?" She detached herself from him and went to the desk, retrieving a thick book. She handed it to him.

"Amazing," he said, rifling through it. "You're amazing."

"I must admit that I'm more than a little surprised that Granger didn't put any protective or befuddling charms on such an important book," she mused aloud. Ron's hand froze over the page he was about to turn, and he closed the book gently.

"We can't take any chances. We have to check it for any wards or spells that might harm us if we read it out loud, or got to a certain page, or something." He put it down on the desk and covered it with an old _Daily Prophet_ that was lying nearby.

"Maybe we should go check on your sister," Pansy suggested.

"Why don't we grab something to eat before we do that?" he asked, rubbing his stomach. "I haven't eaten in a bit, and if Draco's Mum is with Ginny, she'll be all right." Pansy laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Fine, let's go to the kitchen and fortify ourselves." Ron grinned broadly at her. Hermione had never opposed his eating habits, but then again, she'd never offered to accompany him on one of his frequent kitchen raids, either. He put his arm around her shoulders and set off towards the kitchen.

* * *

Harry sat down on the edge of Hermione's bed and watched her sleeping face. She was the closest friend he'd ever had, and now she was gone. She had been reduced to a beautiful shell that had no memories of all of the good times they'd had together. He thought that even a _bad_ memory would be cause for him to be thankful, at this point.

She was no longer the vibrant, intelligent woman he'd fallen in love with. He'd been willing to overlook Ron's defection for a while, but only for her sake. He knew that she'd truly loved Ron and had been happy with him, and it had killed him to hide the truth of his feelings from her. He'd been so honest and forthcoming about everything else in his life to her, but had never told her the one thing that meant so much to him – that he loved her more than anything else.

Now his chance was gone forever.

She didn't even recognize him when she looked at him anymore. He regretted that he hadn't told her long ago; if he had, at least he would have known if she loved him, too. He cradled his face in his hands as he cried silently. He had involved her in another one of his stupid schemes, and she'd wound up like this.

He'd done it for _her!_ Done it to get Ron back, and to see her happy again_! Damn Ron and his shifting loyalties!_ He thought fiercely. If Ron had stayed put, they could have eventually figured out a way to get Ginny away from Malfoy, and everything would have been fine.

Now Ron was a Death Eater, and Ginny was going to become a Malfoy. Where had he gone wrong?

* * *

Ginny's eyes fluttered open slowly, and the first thing that she was aware of was that her room was bathed in the rich golden tones of the setting sun's rays. Her arms and legs felt like lead; she found that she couldn't get them to move right, no matter what her brain communicated to them. Her throat was dry and sore. She coughed quietly, and Narcissa jumped.

"Oh, merciful Morgaine," Narcissa said, relieved. The book that had been resting on her lap tumbled to the floor as she rushed to Ginny's side. "Heavens, child! You have no idea what you've put us through!" Ginny opened her mouth to speak.

"Rake," she whispered. Narcissa frowned.

"Rake?"

"Rake," Ginny tried again. Narcissa's frown smoothed out into a smile when she realized what Ginny was trying to say.

"He's not here – they got called out for a meeting, so I told him I'd stay with you until he got back. But you should know that he stayed by your side until he was called." With quite a bit of effort, Ginny nodded. She watched as Narcissa rang for a house elf. When one appeared, she knelt down to look it in the eye.

"Miss Weasley has just woken up, and she needs a drink." The house elf disappeared before Narcissa stood again. "I expect that they'll be back any moment." She was just about to settle herself back down into her seat when Ginny's door opened with a soft _creak._ Draco was silent as he moved inside the room.

"It's all right, Mother. I can stay with her now." Narcissa gave him a secretive smile that he wondered at. "What?"

"Darling," she said, shaking her head. She stood and put her hand lightly on his shoulder. "She's awake." Draco's eyes widened and flew to Ginny. When he saw her open eyes, he rushed to her side and grabbed her hand. Narcissa left the room, closing the door behind her.

"Thank Circe," Draco whispered, smoothing the stray hairs away from Ginny's forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Weak," she managed to croak out. He nodded.

"That's to be expected. Do you remember much?"

"Yes," she forced out. He stroked her hand gently as he eyed her face.

"Granger's spell backfired," he said softly. "She wiped her own memory. She's in ward forty nine of St. Mungo's." Ginny's eyes widened. "Potter is in a right state. He had the protective orders rescinded."

"Hey." Draco turned when he heard Ron's soft voice. Ron and Pansy entered the room, smiling at Ginny. "Sleeping Beauty finally wakes up." Ginny rolled her eyes, and the hint of a smile played at her lips.

"How are you feeling?" Pansy asked, her face showing her concern. Draco chuckled.

"I just asked her the same question. She can barely talk right now, but she says she feels weak. Otherwise fine, I'm assuming." Ginny nodded slowly and forced a smile at her brother.

"We missed you," he murmured softly. "You really gave us a scare. You must think I'm a cat or something, with nine lives to scare out of me." She started to laugh but it turned into a cough. When it had stopped and she was settled down again, she tried to speak.

"Seven left." He grinned.

"You should probably get some rest now. I'm going to go back home and spend some time with Mum and Dad before they start wondering if I've deserted them." Pansy stood uncomfortably behind Ron, not speaking. They hadn't been apart for almost two days solid, and she didn't want to be apart from him now, either. As if he could read her thoughts, he turned to her. "You're welcome to come with me, if you'd like."

"I don't want to be a burden," she said. Draco arched an eyebrow at her.

"You're not a burden," Ron said, wrapping his arms around her. "I'd like it if you came with me." Pansy rested her head against his chest and nodded. Draco exchanged an amused look with Ginny, whose cheeks were turning pink. If he didn't know better, Draco would swear that Pansy was purring like a contented kitten.

"I'll go, then, if you're sure it's okay."

"It's fine. Mum will love seeing you again." He turned to Ginny and moved to the side of her bed to drop a light kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back soon." With a quick nod to Draco, Pansy and Ron left the room, their fingers meshed together.

"Have you ever been privy to such a sickeningly sweet display of affection in your entire life?" he teased, his eyes sparkling. She smiled.

"Prat," she wheezed softly. He laughed.

"There's my girl," he said, squeezing her hand gently. He leaned forward and pressed a light kiss to her lips. "Don't ever leave me again."

"Lay down," Ginny whispered, her voice scratching her throat raw as she spoke. He didn't hesitate before doing as she bade him. He eased himself onto the bed, trying not to shake it too much, for fear that he might jar her and cause her more pain. He stretched out beside her and draped his arm lightly across her, burying his face in her hair.

"I've missed you," he whispered, his breath hot against her ear. She closed her eyes and let the sensation wash over her. "My mother is pushing us to set a date for the wedding already. I think she wants us to have a big, fancy wedding with everyone in Christendom invited, but I'd much prefer a small, intimate ceremony."

"Outside," Ginny wheezed. He blinked in surprise.

"Outside?" She nodded. "But then we'd have to wait until the weather turns warm, and I want to marry you the moment you get out of this bed." With considerable effort, she turned her head to look at him.

"Soon," she breathed. He nodded.

"Immediately, if not sooner." She gave him a wan smile, which he returned brightly. He listened as her breathing became steady, indicating that she had drifted back asleep. Only when he was sure that she was sleeping did he allow himself to fall asleep.

Some time later, Narcissa poked her head inside the door, intent on telling Draco that it was time for dinner. When she saw her son curled up on the bed alongside Ginny, she smiled sweetly. Her husband crept up behind her and peered inside.

"Don't they make a handsome couple?" Narcissa whispered.

"A fine couple, indeed," Lucius agreed quietly. "We should get a picture of them like this."

"We could have it framed and give it to them as a wedding gift," Narcissa agreed eagerly. "I'll go and get the camera." She hurried off down the corridor, and Lucius kept watch over his son until she returned. With a few clicks, she was done. She eased the door closed and threaded her arm through her husband's as they headed towards the dining room.

"This will be our first dinner alone in quite some time," Lucius mused aloud.

"You sound as though you have something other than dinner in mind, my husband," Narcissa teased, her eyes sparkling. Lucius raised his eyebrows at her.

"Would it bother you if I said I wanted to skip dinner altogether?" She gave him a look of mild surprise.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"Not for food," he answered, his voice low. Her cheeks flushed as she met his eyes.

"We can always have the house elves bring us something to eat later," she agreed softly. He pressed an insistent kiss to her lips, and then led her in the direction of their bedroom.

* * *

**Author's Note:** _Many thanks to all who have read and reviewed - your feedback inspires me to keep going. Please feel free to check out my website at cliodnawrites. 150m. com (without the spaces)._


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty Two**

Draco woke to sunlight streaming through the windows in Ginny's room. He stretched languidly, trying not to wake Ginny as he did so. When he turned to look at her, he was met with bright brown eyes watching him. He smiled softly at her.

"Good morning." He was rewarded with a gentle smile that made butterflies erupt in his stomach.

"Morning," she croaked softly. His smile widened.

"Feeling better?"

"Much."

"Hungry?"

"A little," she said, wincing slightly. "My throat still feels sore, so I'm not sure I could swallow much of anything."

"Broth, maybe?" he suggested. She nodded and tucked her hands beneath her cheek as she lay there.

"Thank you."

"It's nothing," he said dismissively. "I don't actually have to get it, anyway – the house elves will do it. That's their job."

"I meant for staying with me." He fought to control the blush that rose in his cheeks.

"Oh," he said. "Well, what else was I going to do?"

"You didn't have to stay with me," she pointed out, staring intently at him. "Your Mother and Ron and Pansy all volunteered to do it."

"You heard all of that?"

"I heard everything," she said, nodding. "I even heard Hermione when she tried to cast a spell on me." Draco's countenance darkened.

"It backfired on her."

"I remember you saying that. I feel sorry for her in a way." He stared at her.

"In a way?" he echoed flatly. "I don't feel sorry for her at all – she got what she deserved."

"She only did it to be with Ron again," she said reasonably. "Try to put yourself in her shoes for a minute. Don't get me wrong, I am angry with her – unbelievably so – but she had to have known the risk involved before she did it, and she did it anyway."

"Did she talk to you before she did it?" he asked curiously.

"She told me while I was incapacitated that if she didn't do that, then Harry would do something worse, and she wouldn't be able to stop him."

"I'm going to wring his neck with my bare hands when I see him," Draco growled. "I _knew_ he had something to do with it." She watched him wordlessly, her eyes roaming over his face. He moved so close to her that their noses were almost touching. "Have you given the wedding much thought?"

"Not really," she admitted sheepishly, a blush creeping into her cheeks. "Until you mentioned it to me yesterday."

"I want to marry you as soon as possible."

"Why the hurry?"

"For one, if we're married, I can sign legal documents for you – and I intend to get a protective order on Potter again, if it kills me."

"He'll get rid of every one we get."

"Then we'll have to find a way around him."

"What's the next reason?"

"What?" he asked, looking confused. "What other reason?"

"You said 'first' a minute ago, which implies that you had more than one reason. To marry me so soon, I mean."

"I just want to be with you," he murmured. Her mouth slowly curved into a smile.

"Wouldn't your parents balk at the idea of doing it so quickly? There wouldn't be time to invite all of the guests."

"I don't think they much care, in light of recent events," he said pointedly. "Plus, when we get married, we can have some binding spells performed." Her eyes widened slightly.

"Binding spells? As in the binding spells that were done away with ten years ago?"

"Is there a problem with that?" he asked, frowning.

"No, it's just that I hadn't really thought you'd want to do something so... _permanent._ Even if we got divorced, we'd still be tied to each other until one of us dies."

"We're not even married yet, and you're already thinking of divorcing me?" he teased, his eyes sparkling. She laughed softly.

"I didn't mean it that way, and you know it."

"Malfoys do not divorce. If you marry me, you're stuck with me for life."

"That's a scary thought," she teased back. He grinned.

"Seriously, though. I'd like us to have the binding spells done. I'd feel a lot safer knowing you had one."

"If you really want to, then I will." His heart swelled and he planted a soft kiss on her lips.

"Why don't we get married this weekend?" he suggested. Her eyes flew open and she stared at him.

"Today is only Monday, isn't it?"

"Tuesday."

"You want to marry me in four days?"

"I do," he said quietly, his expression devoid of humor. She swallowed with some difficulty and tried to ignore the fluttering sensation that was spreading through her stomach. "Will you agree to it?"

"Would anyone else be there? Where would we do it? Who would perform it? Where would we live afterwards?" The questions tumbled from her lips, and he chuckled softly.

"You can have your parents and your brother there. I intend to have my parents and Pansy there. As far as where we'd do it – here, of course. And we'd live here afterwards as well." Ginny turned this over in her head for a few minutes.

"I still don't understand why you're so anxious to be tied down to me." He met her eyes and his expression was solemn as he spoke.

"I don't want a repeat of the last few days' events," he said softly. "Once we've been married and have had the binding spells performed, it won't even be a remote possibility for someone to attack you without my knowledge. I'll be able to protect you better this way." She exhaled silently, trying to mask her disappointment. She had no qualms with marrying him that very moment if he wanted to – she'd just been hoping for a declaration of feelings of some sort. She forced a smile.

"Saturday, then?" His face brightened and he gathered her close.

"Absolutely! You and Pansy and Mother will have to go shopping and buy your dress, and of course you'll want to contact your parents, and –"his voice died. "Parents! We have to tell my parents!" He disengaged himself from her and rose from the bed, muttering under his breath as he left the room. She lay beneath the coverlet and stared at the wall.

He wanted to marry her, and he wanted to do it in four days. That was enough to make her heart start fluttering wildly. She knew that he cared for her a great deal, and she knew that he was willing to marry her early in order to keep her safe. She had just been hoping for something more – she wanted to hear him say the words.

She stretched slowly before rising from her bed. She went into the adjoining bathroom and went about her usual morning routine. Just as she was stepping out of the shower, she realized that she hadn't yet told Draco how she felt about him, either. She remembered him teasing her about being besotted with him, and she knew that his mother and best friend knew how she felt. Was it possible that he just hadn't said the words to her because she hadn't said them to him?

She puzzled over this as she dried off and began dressing. When she had finished slipping into her slacks and silk blouse, she sat down on the bed and began brushing her hair. She loved him; she had no doubt about that now. Acknowledging her feelings to herself was one thing, though; saying it aloud to _him_ was quite another. Her heart jumped into her throat at the idea of it.

She stood and replaced her brush on the dresser, and then moved in front of the full-length mirror that was fastened to the wall. She squared her shoulders resolutely and looked her reflection in the eye. She took a deep breath and nodded to herself.

"I love you," she said softly. She screwed her face up. She didn't remember ever sounding so timid before in her life! This was not a moment to waste on timidity – this was a moment wherein she had to be bold and assertive! She cleared her throat and shook her head slightly, trying to loosen up a bit.

"I love you!" She winced. It had come out too forcefully that time – she was going to have to curb her enthusiasm just a little bit.

Unbeknownst to her, Draco was in the hallway, peering through the crack of the barely open door. His heart began doing somersaults when he heard her speaking the words aloud. He'd been on his way back to fetch her for breakfast when he'd heard her say it the first time. Unable to resist his curiosity, he'd peeked inside. He watched as she told her reflection the words over and over, changing each time the way the words were delivered.

He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, taking a deep, steadying breath. He ached to hear those words directed at him; oh, how he wanted to hear them! He refused to tell her until she told him – he would not be made a fool of! After all, what happened if he told her he loved her, and then she didn't return the sentiment? He would be nothing less than crushed. He cared for her more than anything, and he tried to show her however he could – _without_ actually saying the words.

He turned and peered into her room again, and was startled to find the door being pulled open. For a moment, both he and a very surprised Ginny simply stared at each other. Slowly a blush crept into her cheeks, and she looked down.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were out here."

"I just got here," he said quickly. "I was coming to see if you were going to eat with us this morning."

"Oh," she breathed, nodding. "Yes, I was just on my way to the dining room. I hope I haven't kept anyone waiting." He watched as she stepped out of her room and closed the door behind her.

"No. Mother is still in bed because she has a migraine, and Father is in the library doing research – again." She smiled at him, and his heart leapt into his throat. They began walking towards the dining room together, standing closely but not touching.

"So I've kept you waiting, then," she said, keeping her eyes focused straight ahead.

"Not really," he admitted, shrugging. "I was rather hoping that they'd be at breakfast, though, so we could tell them about Saturday." She chanced a quick glance in his direction, flushing when she caught him looking at her.

"It's strange, isn't it?"

"What's that?" They stepped into the dining room and headed towards the table.

"Just thinking about how we'll be married by Saturday evening," she mused, pulling her chair out and sitting down.

"What's so strange about it?" he asked, reaching for his glass of juice.

"I didn't mean strange in a bad way," she added quickly. "I just meant that it feels odd to think about the fact that after going without a relationship for so long, suddenly I'm going to be married." He nodded slowly.

"Yes, I believe I understand that." He bit off a piece of toast and chewed thoughtfully. When she had drained her coffee, he turned to her. "Perhaps we shouldn't get married on Saturday."

"What?" she asked, her eyes widening in surprise. Her heart began to speed up. Did he not want to marry her now?

"Maybe Saturday is a bad idea. Four days is a long time for me to wait," he deliberated aloud.

"To wait for what?"

"Marriage," he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. She just nodded and waited for him to continue. "Anything could happen in the next four days."

"So, what are you saying, exactly?"

"I'm saying that I think we should get married sooner than Saturday."

"How much sooner?"

"Four days sooner." She stared at him.

"Today?"

"Yes, today. We could go right now and have all of the proper forms filled out at the Ministry, and someone can wed us there in private."

"What happened to having our families there?"

"It's not being done out of spite; it's being done out of necessity. My parents will understand."

"Oh," she said, her brow creasing as she considered his words. He was right; in light of recent events, four days felt like a lifetime. What if Harry decided to make a move on them during that time? She might never get to marry Draco, if that was the case. And he had mentioned something about binding spells... well, if they went ahead and got married today, she would have a link to him, to make sure that he was always all right. She nodded curtly before looking up at him.

"Well?" he asked, trying to mask his anticipation.

"Let's do it."

Two and half hours later found Ginny and Draco standing in front of a Ministry official in a small, sparsely decorated room. He was wearing his best dress robes, and she was wearing the dress that she'd worn to the wedding the weekend before.

"Before I begin, I want to make sure that this is what you both want," the man said, giving Draco a pointed look. Draco nodded, and Ginny did the same. The man took a deep breath. "And the two of you are sure that you want this binding spell performed? It's not something to enter into lightly – once performed, it's virtually irreversible."

"We're sure." Draco sounded confident, and Ginny's heart swelled as she looked at him. He glanced at her and caught her watching him, and he gave her a soft smile. The man's expression softened, and he withdrew his wand from his pocket.

"Right, then. The spell isn't painful, but I understand that the sensation isn't exactly pleasant, either. I must impress upon you the importance of what it is that you're doing. When this spell is complete, you will be bound to each other for as long as you both live. Each of you will be more attuned to the other. When you have finished here today, a piece of your spouse will reside in you." Ginny's stomach did a nervous flip at the word "spouse." Draco reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze as he shot her a reassuring smile.

"Before I begin the marriage and binding spell, I'd like to let you both have an opportunity to speak, if you wish. Is there anything either of you would like to say to the other?" Draco shook his head. He was about to tell the man to continue when Ginny spoke up.

"Yes," she breathed. She turned to face Draco and lifted her eyes slowly to meet his. "Draco, before we go through with this, there's something I have to tell you."


	43. Chapter 43

_Sorry it took so long. I hope you'll find that it was worth the wait._

**Chapter Forty Three**

Draco stared at her, his heart filling with fear. Was she going to tell him that she'd decided against this, after all? He watched as she glanced down at their joined hands, noting the way her cheeks turned scarlet. She took a deep breath and squeezed her eyes shut.

"I just... I have to tell you that I've never been happier in my entire life than I am when I'm with you. I can't marry you without being sure that you know _why_ I'm doing it. I don't want you to get the wrong idea and think that I'm only marrying you for money, or for your protection. It isn't for those reasons."

"I know," he said softly. She shifted uncomfortably. "Is that what you had to tell me?"

"No – well, yes, but that's not all. I mean, I wanted to let you know how I feel."

"And?" he prompted gently.

"I love you," she breathed, the scarlet of her cheeks deepening. He sucked in a quick breath, and watched as she chanced a quick glance up at him.

"You love me?" his voice trembled as he spoke. She nodded slowly.

"Yes, I do." He squeezed her hand before placing his index finger beneath her chin and gently forcing her to look up.

"Then it's only fair that I tell you my motivation for marrying you, as well. It's not only to protect you, and it's not just because my parents are mad about you. When you were in that bed and you couldn't look at me or talk to me or laugh with me, I realized that I was hopelessly in love with you." Her eyes widened.

"Y-you are?" he nodded.

"I am. I love you, and you have made me happier than you know by telling me that you feel the same way."

"Oh," she breathed, giving him a soft smile. He turned back to face the man in front of them.

"I believe we're ready now," he said, giving the man a curt nod. He squeezed Ginny's hand, and his heart swelled when she squeezed it back.

When Draco and Ginny returned to the Manor, they were immediately greeted by Pansy and Ron, who had been sitting in the Parlor, waiting for them.

"Where have you been?" Pansy asked, rising from the sofa she'd been sitting on with Ron. "We've been worried sick that something happened to you!" Ron remained silent, observing the adoring looks that Ginny kept shooting Draco.

"We've just been to the Ministry," Draco said, frowning. "Why, has something happened?"

"No, nothing's happened – we just came by to see if the two of you wanted to have lunch at the Burrow with us. Imagine our surprise when we found out that neither of your parents even knew you were gone! Your Mother's in a right state!"

"Well, let me go and get her and Father, and then we'll tell everyone why we disappeared so suddenly." He let go of Ginny's hand and gave her a quick smile before heading out into the hallway. Ron narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but still remained silent.

"You're having lunch at the Burrow?" Ginny asked, sitting in a plush chair. Pansy resumed her seat and nodded.

"Yes; your Mum is going to show me how she makes her meatballs," Pansy said, finally smiling. Ginny grinned at her.

"Aren't they the best you've ever tasted? They're Ron's favorite." Ron's ears turned pink, and he grinned at Pansy.

"The house elves at Hogwarts didn't even come near them when they tried to make them."

"I don't remember ever being served meatballs at Hogwarts," Pansy said, frowning slightly.

"That's because they never served them to the entire school," Ginny laughed. "Ron would sneak down to the kitchens and tell them what he wanted, and they'd try to make them for him."

"You snuck into the kitchens?" Pansy asked, amused. Ron nodded. "How?"

"By tickling the pear."

"What?"

Before he could explain it further to her, Draco re-entered the room with his parents in tow. He perched on the arm of the chair that she was sitting on and put his arm around her shoulders, watching as his parents took a seat on the small sofa opposite them. When he was sure that he had their attention, he smiled.

"I want to start off by apologizing for our leaving this morning without word and causing you all to worry. As you can see, we're fine. As a matter of fact, we're better than fine – we're married."

Narcissa's jaw dropped, along with Ron and Pansy's. Lucius was the only one who did not look surprised at all. He nodded. "I expect that you had a proper ceremony, complete with binding spells."

"Of course, Father," Draco nodded.

"Well, then. I suppose the two of you ought to find a new room in the Manor to be your shared quarters, and you may keep your separate quarters as well." He stood and moved towards the seated couple, shaking Draco's hand. Ginny stood and embraced him. "Welcome to the family, Ginny."

"Thank you," she breathed, giving him a weak smile.

"Well?" Draco asked the remaining three in the room. "No congratulations, or at the very least words expressing your surprise?"

"I suppose I _shouldn't_ be surprised," Pansy said, pouting as she rose to embrace both of them. "It always was like you to go off and do what you wanted, devil be damned." Draco grinned at her.

"Thanks, Pans."

"I can't believe that you did it without your parents present," Narcissa said, her voice belying her hurt and disappointment. Lucius moved to her side and wrapped his arms around her.

"Now, Cissa," he soothed. "I'm sure they have their reasons for doing it the way they did, and frankly, I can't say that I blame them. A nice private ceremony was probably just the thing they needed. Imagine with the way Potter has been behaving, if they had announced a large wedding. What would have stopped him from barging in and ruining it?"

"I suppose you're right," she said, relenting. She smiled at Ginny. "And now I have the daughter I've always wanted." She moved to hug her son's new wife, and Ginny clung to her.

"I'm so glad you're not upset," she whispered, tears in her eyes. "I don't know what I would have done if you'd been angry with me."

"Oh, child," she said, pulling away to smile at the redhead. "I could never be angry with you. Everyone present knows how much you've meant to Draco – to this family." Draco's cheeks turned pink, and his father chuckled. Pansy sniggered at him. The only person who had not spoken by this point was Ron, and that worried Ginny. Ron's temper, the trademark Weasley temper, was renowned throughout the Wizarding World, and she didn't like the thought of him holding his feelings back.

"Well, that being said, perhaps when this unpleasantness with Potter has passed, the two of you will have a large formal ceremony – to appease your Mother," Lucius said pointedly. Draco nodded.

"Absolutely."

"Now if you don't mind, I have some work to be getting back to. Congratulations again, both of you. I couldn't be happier for you." Lucius gave them a genuine smile before leaving the room, with Narcissa in tow.

"Ron?" Ginny asked tentatively. Ron's eyes shot up to meet hers, and he forced a smile as he stood and embraced her tightly.

"I'm happy for you," he said quietly. "It's just sudden and I thought... I mean, I'd hoped... Well, I wanted to be there when you got married." Ginny felt a rush of emotion towards her brother as she squeezed him back.

"I'm sorry, but it was a spur of the moment type thing," she whispered back. "We'll have a big ceremony later and have everyone there, I promise." He pulled away and nodded at her. "But you're not upset that I'm married?"

"Gods, no. I feel better knowing that someone has a connection to you," he said, shaking his head. She blinked at him.

"How do you-"Ron gave her a soft smile.

"He told me about wanting to do the binding spells," he said. She turned and looked at Draco, who was whispering something to Pansy. "Besides, I know that he really cares about you, and there's not much more I could ask for."

"You're taking this much better than I thought you would," she said, her eyes sparkling.

"You're a big girl," he said, shrugging. "I reckon you know what you want, and it's not my business anymore to protect you. You have a husband to do that." A tiny thrill went through her at the sound of the word _husband_. "I think we should probably get going. Are you coming?"

"We're coming." Ginny turned at the sound of her husband's voice. He stepped closer and slid his arm around her waist as he gave Ron a genuine smile. "You two go on ahead without us, and we'll be behind you momentarily." Ron nodded and extended his hand, which Draco took and shook.

"Congratulations." With that, Ron moved forward and reached for Pansy's hand. "Ready?" She nodded, and Ginny watched as they left the room.

"I've never seen Ron so calm before," she remarked thoughtfully.

"Falling in love will do that to a man," he replied, gently squeezing her hip. She smiled.

"You think he's in love with Pansy?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"Because I can see it in his eyes. Look at the way he looks at her."

"Do you think she returns his feelings?"

"Undoubtedly."

"Oh," she said softly, her silly grin plastered on her face.

"Have you decided how we're going to tell your parents?"

"We?"

"Surely you didn't think I'd make you do it alone, did you?"

"I just didn't think you were very... fond... of my family, is all."

"Are you afraid they'll be upset?"

"A little."

"If they know you're happy, will they still be upset?"

"I'm more worried about Dad than Mum. My Dad doesn't particularly care for your father, you know."

"I am not my father," Draco said, frowning.

"I know," she said, reaching up to caress his cheek with her hand. "I'm not worried." He bent and pressed his lips gently to hers.

"I can't wait to get you back here and have you to myself," he whispered. Chills traveled up and down her spine at the look he was giving her. "No more worrying about being alone."

"I know." She cupped his cheeks in her hands and drew him down for another gentle kiss. When he pulled away, his breathing was ragged.

"Sod going out today," he swore. "We'll stay here all day, in bed." Her cheeks flushed, but she smiled.

"We've already said we'd go to my parents' house. If we don't get there soon, Ron will open his big mouth and tell them, and we won't have a chance to. Besides, we've got the rest of our lives to spend together."

"You're right." He extended his arm, and she threaded hers through it. "Shall we?"


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter Forty Four**

When Ginny and Draco entered through the front door of the Burrow, they were immediately greeted by the sight of his parents showing Pansy some of Ron's baby pictures. Molly looked up and was momentarily startled by the sight of Draco in her home, but recovered quickly when she saw her daughter next to him. She stood and made her way quickly over to them, wrapping her daughter in a hug that smelled of sugar cookies.

"Ginny, darling," she said, squeezing her tightly. "It's so good to see you! You've stayed away too long – we were beginning to worry about you."

"I'm fine, Mum," Ginny said, smiling. "This is Draco." Molly nodded at Draco and gave him a tentative smile.

"Hello, Draco."

"Thank you for having me over, Mrs. Weasley," he said politely, inclining his head. Molly relaxed visibly.

"Don't even think on it, dear," she said, turning back to Ron and Pansy. Ginny shot Draco a quick smile before following her Mother into the family room and taking a seat on the couch. Draco sat down beside her.

"Where's Dad?"

"Is that my only daughter?" Her father's voice drifted down the stairs, and she grinned as he turned the corner, entering the room. She jumped up and launched herself at him, wrapping him in a tight hug. Draco felt a smile tugging at his lips – his wife was very obviously a Daddy's girl. "It's about time you came and paid your aging father a visit," he teased. She laughed.

"Dad, I've brought-"her voice died as her father's eyes landed on Draco. Draco stood and moved forward, extending his hand to Arthur.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Weasley." Arthur hesitated for a moment, and then took Draco's hand.

"Afternoon, Mr. Malfoy."

"Draco, please," he said politely. Arthur nodded.

"Draco, then." He turned back to his daughter with a questioning look. She cleared her throat and moved to stand next to Draco, and slipped her hand into his. Her Father's eyes widened slightly, and her Mother gasped.

"Mum, Dad, we have something to tell you." She took a deep breath. "I've been staying with the Malfoys for the last week or so, and this morning..." she turned and looked at Draco. He smiled gently at her and squeezed her hand in a show of support. Heartened, she turned back to her parents. "This morning we were married." Molly sank down heavily onto the couch, stunned into speechlessness. Arthur simply stared.

Ginny held up her left hand, displaying the diamond encrusted engagement ring, which was now partnered by a thick wedding band. "Well?" she asked nervously. Her mother lifted her eyes to meet her daughter's.

"I always thought that I'd be a part of your wedding," she said quietly.

"No one was a part of it," Ginny said, shaking her head. "We didn't tell anyone beforehand that we were going to do it. It was a spur of the moment thing for both of us. But we're going to have a big ceremony sometime and you'll be involved, I promise."

Molly managed a feeble smile. "Are you happy?"

"I am," Ginny said, looking up at Draco. "I really am."

"And your parents?" Molly asked, looking at Draco. "Are they all right with the fact that you've married our daughter?"

"My Mother absolutely adores Ginny," Draco said cautiously. He knew that the Weasleys were friends of Potter's, and Potter was after his father. If Potter somehow got the idea that Lucius was still in the Manor, he would stop at nothing to get to him. Molly nodded slowly.

"Then that's all I can ask." She stood and gave her daughter a shaky hug, and then turned to Draco. She didn't hesitate before hugging him as well, which surprised everyone in the room. Pansy and Ron exchanged curious glances from their places on the couch. Draco looked more surprised than anyone else present, and Ginny wondered if he had expected her parents to rage and thunder about the situation.

"Arthur?" Molly asked, turning to look at him. "Welcome our son in law, and congratulate your only daughter on her marriage." Arthur did as he was told and hugged his daughter loosely, and then shook Draco's hand – all without saying a word. After that, the mood lightened considerably, and Molly went about preparing lunch as Pansy, Ron, Ginny, and Draco exchanged light banter in her family room. Arthur snuck into the kitchen and cast a quick silencing charm before turning to his wife.

"What in the bloody hell is she doing?" Molly turned to him and pursed her lips.

"Arthur, she's obviously in love with the boy. Look at the way she acts around him."

"But he's a _Malfoy_," Arthur hissed.

"And he's your son in law, and your daughter's husband. He is who she chose, so we should respect that."

"But-" Molly shook her wooden spoon at him.

"He's been nothing but polite and respectful since he got here, Arthur Weasley, and if you do anything to break the peace, so help me-"

"I won't," he said, sighing. "But can we trust him to take care of her?"

"His family has more money than God," she remarked casually, turning back to the stove. "I have no doubt that she'll be well taken care of."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"Well, what did you mean, then?"

"I was asking if you thought she'd be safe with him and his family."

"Of course she will," Molly sighed, stirring slowly. "I doubt that she would have married him if she felt unsafe around him and his family. She has a good head on her shoulders, Arthur. We've done our job in raising her, and we have to trust that we did a good job." Arthur nodded.

"You're right, I know. I just worry so much about her."

"Dear, we can't be there every second of the day. There was a time when we had to be there and catch her when she fell, but that time has passed. We have to let her live her life the way she wants to."

"You're not afraid for her?"

"Of course I'm afraid for her," she said exasperatedly. "But she's a grown woman now. She has to make her own mistakes, and if this marriage is a mistake, then she'll learn from it and move on. But I'm telling you she looks happy to me. I've never seen her look so happy since Fred and George left."

"Our family-"

"Our family has changed, Arthur. He's a part of this family now, like it or not, and we'd better get used to it and be civil to him, or we might lose Ginny, too." Arthur hung his head and heaved one last, heavy sigh.

"Again, I know you're right. I'm just going to have to get used to him, is all, I suppose. It's not easy."

"When have things ever been easy?" He leaned forward and planted a soft kiss on his wife's cheek.

"I'm just glad that I married such an amazing woman," he murmured. Molly's cheeks turned pink, and she tried to hide her pleased look. "You've got a big heart, Molly, and I love you for it."

"I love you too, even though you can be a silly sod at times," she teased. He chuckled. "Now go back into the other room, and get to know your daughter's new husband."

"That went surprisingly well," Draco remarked, striding into Ginny's bedroom at the Manor. She turned and smiled at him.

"I was pleasantly surprised," she agreed.

"Your parents didn't say a derogatory word all afternoon."

"They have more tact than you give them credit for," she said, moving into his open arms.

"Are you ready to choose a bridal suite?" She felt the heat rising in her face, but nodded. "Good. Shall we take a look around, then?"

"Of course." She let him lead her out into the hallway, and they walked to a part of the Manor that she hadn't seen yet. He opened several doors to allow her to look at the rooms, but after looking at every bedroom in the wing, she still hadn't seen one she liked as well as her own room. As they were exiting the last room, she turned to him.

"Would it be possible to convince you to just use my current room as our bedroom?" The heat rose in her face again, but she ignored it as she waited for his answer. He frowned.

"You don't want a room to yourself?"

"I don't really need one," she said, shaking her head. "If you ever wanted to get away from me, you could always go back to your own room, or I could sleep in a guest room."

"I won't hear of it," he said. "You'll never have to sleep somewhere else if you don't want to. That's fine, if you're sure that that's what you want. I'll have the house elves move some of my things in."

"I'm sure," she said, sighing with relief. He reached for her, pulling her close.

"Do you want to retire to our chambers now?" his voice was low, and his meaning unmistakable. Ginny shivered slightly.

"What about dinner?"

"We can have the house elves bring us something later, if we desire it."

"What about your parents?"

"They will understand."

"Oh," she said, blushing furiously.

"If you'd rather wait, I'll understand. Just say so."

"No, it isn't that," she said, shaking her head. She stared at her feet for a moment, struggling to find the words. "It's just – well, you've... I've never..."

"You're nervous?"

"Very," she breathed, glad that he'd understood what she wanted to say.

"Don't be," he said. "I'll do everything I can to make you comfortable. You'll just have to be vocal enough to tell me if you don't like something."

"I will," she promised. He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"We've waited long enough. Let's go back to our room."


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter Forty Five**

Draco held Ginny's hand as they made their way back to her bedroom. She had her hand on the doorknob and was about to turn it when Draco stopped her. She turned to give him a puzzled look. "Is something wrong?"

"I have to carry you across the threshold," he said, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. She giggled as he bent and slipped his arm beneath her knees, cradling her as he picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed when he had trouble turning the doorknob. He finally managed to get it open, almost dropping her in the process, and then kicked it shut behind him.

"All right, you've done your husbandly duty. May I walk on my own again?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with silent laughter. He grinned.

"I haven't done my husbandly duty yet, and I intend to carry you to the bed," he said, waggling his eyebrows. She giggled even as she blushed, and held tighter to him.

"Don't drop me!" She squealed as he almost tripped on a corner of the rug. He made his way to the bed with her and laid her down gently.

"What, no applause?" he asked, looking wounded. She laughed and clapped her hands together lightly, feeling giddy as she watched him mock-bow to her. He sat on the edge of the bed and gazed down at her. "Still nervous?"

She nodded.

"Why don't we take things slow, then?" He slipped his shoes and socks off, then turned and slipped her shoes and socks off as well, tossing them onto the floor. She watched with bated breath as he unfastened all of the buttons on the front of his shirt, then slid it off. Her eyes traveled slowly over his exposed torso, then met his eyes again. Her throat went dry at the look he was giving her.

"My turn?" she asked softly.

"Only if you're ready." He watched as she sat up and lifted her shirt over her head, exposing her white cotton bra. She met his eyes again tentatively, and waited for him to say something. Red splotches were starting to appear on her chest and throat from the nervousness she was feeling; it roiled around in the pit of her stomach and made her squirm slightly. She had seen Daphne's body, and knew that hers was nowhere near as filled out in certain places. Would he be disappointed with her?

Instead of speaking, he reached out and stroked her cheek with his hand, letting his thumb caress her skin lightly. He was gentle when he forced her to lie down on her back, and she felt a surge of adrenaline when he crawled over her, resting his weight on his hands and knees. He stared into her eyes for several moments before closing his eyes and pressing his lips to hers. A soft sigh escaped her, and she raised her arms to wrap them around his neck. When her fingertips met his bare flesh, she ran them lightly across his shoulders, then down his arms. His kiss became more intense, and his tongue begged entrance to her mouth.

Her hands found the back of his neck, then moved lightly over his back. He groaned and his mouth moved from hers to trail kisses down her jaw. When his mouth found her throat, she arched against him, eliciting a low growl from him. He nibbled and licked her neck by turns, causing her to gasp with every new sensation. When his teeth scraped gently against her collarbone, she moaned softly.

"Sweet Circe," he whispered, gently cupping a breast. Her eyes flew open and she gasped louder than before when his thumb brushed lightly across her already hardened nipple. She watched as he fumbled around on the side table for his wand, then muttered a charm that removed her bra. His wand was tossed to the floor, and she was lost in a world of new sensations when his hot mouth covered a nipple. Instinctively she bucked her hips against him, causing him to stop his ministrations and groan. He moved his attentions to the other breast, and she felt a surge of wetness below her hips.

* * *

BIG SECTION CUT TO KEEP WITH 'S NON-NC-17 POLICY. TO READ THIS CHAPTER IN ITS ENTIRETY, PLEASE VISIT MY ONLINE JOURNAL AT http: www. Livejournal .com / users/ cliodahpfan (remove the spaces first)

* * *

"Are you all right?"  
  
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. He kissed her languidly, taking his time and letting his tongue explore her mouth. When he pulled away, her eyes were still closed, and she was still struggling to steady her ragged breathing. He withdrew, leaving her with a feeling of profound emptiness, and gathered her close in his arms, nuzzling her neck.  
  
"Wow," she managed. He grinned against her neck. "I never thought-"  
  
"It's amazing, isn't it?" he agreed. She nodded, and he dropped a soft kiss on her neck. She shivered in his arms.  
  
"I-"her voice died momentarily, but when she felt him drop a kiss on her bare shoulder, she smiled. "I love you, Draco." He squeezed her close.  
  
"I love you, Ginny Malfoy," he whispered. She closed her eyes and savored the sound of the words on his lips. His whispered words of love were the last thing that she heard before drifting off to sleep in her husband's arms.


	46. Chapter 46

**_This is the next to last chapter. the only other chapter that will come is the epilogue. Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing, and I hope that you'll continue to read when I post my next story titled "Assassins."_**

**Chapter Forty Six**

When Ginny awoke, the first thing she was conscious of was the heavy masculine arm that was draped over her stomach. She turned her head slightly and was greeted by the sight of her new husband smiling softly at her. She gave him a sleepy smile as he pulled her closer.

"Good morning," he whispered. She blinked.

"Morning?" she echoed. "Was I asleep that long?"

"We were both asleep that long," he said, nodding. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," she admitted. He grinned and rose from the bed to ring a bell over the fireplace, and she watched in mingled amazement and embarrassment as he moved around the room – he was still naked. Was he so comfortable in front of her already? As soon as he had rung the bell, he dove back under the covers, making her giggle. When the house elf appeared, he asked for breakfast to be brought to them in bed. In the next moment, the house elf was gone again.

"You're not afraid of walking in front of me naked, but you won't let the house elves see you starkers?" She giggled. He grinned even though his cheeks turned slightly pink.

"You are my wife, and I don't mind you seeing me without clothes. The house elves are the help, and I don't want anyone besides you seeing me like that." She gave him a shy smile as she sat up and clutched the coverlet to her chest.

"How long have you been awake?"

"Not long." He paused for a moment, and then gave her a curious look. "Were you afraid when you woke up next to me?"

"Not afraid," she said, shaking her head. "I was surprised for a moment. It was nice, though." He leaned forward and pressed some light kisses to her arm, letting his hand come up to caress her shoulder.

"Very nice," he agreed huskily. "I'm glad you liked it, because we're going to be doing it every day for the rest of our lives." She shivered. Just then the house elves entered and placed a large covered tray on the nightstand. He scooted across the bed and sat next to her, then lifted the cover. Immediately the smells of bacon, eggs, muffins, and other various breakfast foods filled the room. Ginny's stomach growled, and Draco chuckled at her as she reached for a glass of tea.

"I don't know what you think is so funny," she teased, bringing the rim of the cup to her lips. "When I woke up to go to the loo last night, you were snoring." Draco almost choked on his mouthful of toast. She laughed, and when he had finally regained his composure, he arched his eyebrow at her.

"You're very lucky that you have a hot drink in your hands, otherwise you would be tickled within an inch of your life." She smiled at him, and as she watched him, her smile faded into a loving glance. He looked up and caught her looking at him, and he gave her a soft smile. "What's wrong?"

"Absolutely nothing," she said honestly, replacing her teacup on the tray. "For the first time in my life, I feel like everything is perfect. I can hardly believe I'm this happy – and it's all because of you. Thank you." He sat his piece of toast on the tray and wrapped her in his arms.

"You've given me nothing less in return. I never thought I'd find anyone that I'd trust enough to marry and bind myself to." At his words, she pulled away and looked at the small dragon that was tattooed above his heart. It was currently curled up in a ball, asleep. She smiled at it, and he looked down at her breast, where a similar dragon was tattooed above her own heart. Her dragon, however, was not sleeping. It was chasing its tail in circles. He laughed.

"Mine seems to be a little bit friskier than yours," she said, smiling.

"Indeed. Perhaps we should do something that will wake them up?" he suggested silkily. She laughed.

"Why don't we eat first, so we have the strength to wake them up." He grinned and planted a soft kiss on her cheek, then pulled her closer.

"I think that sounds like a plan."

* * *

Harry paced. He'd been pacing for the last half hour, and his steps were so heavy that he was wearing a path in the floor. He was alone in the Order's Headquarters, and he was angry beyond all belief. Hermione was incapable of being present, Snape had mysteriously disappeared, Ron was no longer associated with the Order, he'd alienated Padma himself, and now even Molly and Arthur Weasley hadn't shown up. He was the only person in the large meeting room, and it irked him to no end. He was tired of waiting for other people; it seemed that he was always waiting lately. It was time to take matters into his own hands and take care of business – and the only way he knew how to do that was to storm Malfoy Manor.

* * *

Two days after their wedding, Draco and Ginny finally emerged from their bedroom, both still flushed with excitement and their recent physical activity. Narcissa smiled brightly at them as they sat down at the breakfast table, and Lucius shot them a quick smile before going back to reading his newspaper.

"And how are the newlyweds this morning?" Narcissa asked brightly. "We didn't expect to see you for another few days at the least." Ginny blushed and Draco grinned.

"Didn't want you to think we'd died, or anything," he explained, reaching for his cup of coffee.

"We didn't expect the two of you would want to see anyone else for a while. For all intents and purposes, you're on your honeymoon. Why don't you take a vacation to Paris, or something?" Lucius suggested.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Ginny said quietly. "I sense that there's some trouble brewing. We haven't heard the last of Harry." Draco and Lucius both stared openly at her.

"Why would you say something like that?"

"I just feel it. Don't you feel that there's something happening?" she asked, turning to look at Narcissa. Her mother in law nodded.

"I do. There's a certain something in the air."

"Perhaps we ought to see about arranging a meeting," Draco said pointedly, looking at his father. Lucius nodded his agreement.

"I believe you're right. Why don't you call your friend Ron and have him and Pansy come over?" Draco nodded and rose from his seat. He started to leave the room, but paused when he got to the door, and turned. He walked back to where Ginny was sitting, and he bent over and placed a passionate kiss on her lips. When he pulled away, she was breathless.

"I love you," he whispered fiercely, before turning and leaving the room. His father followed close behind him. When the men were gone, Narcissa turned to look at Ginny.

"The two of you look very happy."

"We are," Ginny agreed, giving the older woman a warm smile.

"Ginevra, there's something I've been meaning to ask you since you began to come stay with us."

"Okay," Ginny said, turning towards Narcissa.

"You practice the Art, and you are proficient. You have an accuracy that amazes even myself. Tell me, is wax the only medium you know how to use?" Ginny frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"There are other forms of ceromancy – darker forms."

"Oh," Ginny said, understanding washing over her. "You mean the forms that add hair or blood to the wax in order to do the reading?"

"That's exactly what I mean," Narcissa said, nodding.

"Yes, I'm familiar with the darker forms."

"Have you ever used any of them?"

"I have," Ginny admitted, shifting slightly in her seat. "I did a reading once using hair."

"And was it as accurate as the times when you used only wax?"

"It was. It was more accurate, if that's possible."

"How did you go about it?"

"I used white wax and added the hairs to it as I melted it, then proceeded normally with the rest of the reading."

"Would you be willing to do this again?"

"May I ask why?"

"I am afraid," Narcissa said, her brow furrowing slightly. "That my husband and my son are in danger, and I want to know what is going to happen, and if I can stop it." Ginny's heart thudded loudly inside her chest.

"Why do you think that they're in danger?"

"I did a reading last night for Draco, and I got some bad results. When I repeated the reading for Lucius, I got the same thing. I would just like to have the peace of mind..." her voice trailed off.

"Absolutely. I can get some of Draco's hair from his pillow." She rose from her seat, and Narcissa rose as well.

"And I'll go get some of Lucius' hair from his pillow as well. Where shall we conduct the reading?"

"A room or an area that neither of them visit very often, so there's not much of their energy there to interfere with each other's readings." Narcissa thought for a moment.

"We could go into one of the guest rooms," she suggested. Ginny nodded.

"Which one?"

"How about in the eastern wing? There's a bedroom with roses carved on the door. It was going to be our daughter's room, if we ever had a daughter." Narcissa tried to hide the sadness in her voice, but Ginny caught it anyway.

"I'm sorry," she said, placing a sympathetic hand on Narcissa's shoulder. Narcissa covered it with her own and smiled at the younger girl.

"it's not your fault, and it's not something that can be helped, at any rate. You get your materials, and I'll gather mine. I'll meet you in that room." Ginny nodded and left, heading towards her and Draco's bedroom.

When she reached their room, she immediately went to Draco's side of the bed and scraped her fingers lightly across his pillow, hoping that there were some stray strands. To her relief, when she pulled her hand away, she had managed to scrape up several long, white-blonde hairs. She held them tightly in her hand and reached into the closet for her gloves, then made her way to the East wing of the Manor, looking for the door Narcissa had described. When she found it, she pushed the door open and went inside.

She looked around quickly, feeling her heart swell painfully in her chest. The room was decorated in delicate pink flowers, right down to the fluffy pink comforter that covered the bed. Before she could look at everything, Narcissa entered the room carrying two bowls. She sat them down on the bed, and began emptying their contents. She handed Ginny the medium-sized chunk of white wax, the ladle, and a bottle of water.

Ginny went about her tasks wordlessly, and Narcissa watched as she separated the two bowls and poured the water into the smaller of the two. She sat the empty bowl on a small stand that Narcissa had brought and took her wand out of her pocket. After muttering a quick spell, blue flames appeared beneath the bowl. Ginny dropped the chunk of wax in and watched patiently as it melted.

She looked up at Narcissa. "Who do you want to read for first, Draco or Lucius?"

"It doesn't matter to me," she said, holding her hand out to Ginny. "Here are Lucius' hairs, before I lose them." Ginny took them from her and sat them on the floor beside Draco's. It was easy to tell them apart – Lucius' hair was much longer than his son's. She paused for a moment, then sighed.

"We're going to need another bowl to melt wax in," she murmured. "I can't use the same wax for both readings, because it will distort the results. I'd be too confused."

"So we need more wax and another bowl?"

"No, we just need another bowl. I can separate some of the wax with the ladle and just put it in another bowl and add the hair to it then. _Accio bowl!_" She waited for a moment, then heard a soft _whooshing_ sound. She stood and reached her arms out just as a silver bowl came flying into the room. She resumed her seat and proceeded to remove half of the wax from the first bowl. She added Lucius' hair to the bowl on her left, and added Draco's hair to the bowl on her right. As she dropped the hairs in, tiny wisps of purple smoke floated up from each bowl. Narcissa gave her a curious look but said nothing.

Ginny dipped the ladle into the bowl that held Lucius' hairs and slowly drizzled the melted wax into the bowl of cool water. Immediately the wax formed three different symbols. Narcissa gasped as one of the symbols turned a bright green color, and Ginny frowned. She rested the ladle atop the bowl of melted wax and examined the symbols in the bowl.

"You're right," Ginny said, her voice steady. The signs are bad. I see a crab, a cross, and a dagger."

"Why is the dagger green?" Narcissa asked. Ginny's frown deepened.

"I think I know why, but before I say anything, I'd like to do Draco's reading and see if I get the same results. I have a feeling that I will." Narcissa nodded and watched wordlessly as Ginny cleaned off the ladle with her fingers and then dipped into the bowl of wax that had Draco's hairs in it. Narcissa fished the hardened pieces of wax out of the bowl of water and laid them gingerly on the hardwood floor in front of her, and Ginny poured a ladleful of wax into the water. Immediately, the wax broke up into three pieces again. Ginny closed her eyes, her heart pounding hard inside her chest.

"A noose, a gun, and a scorpion," Ginny breathed quietly. The scorpion had turned the same bright green as the dagger in Lucius' reading. Narcissa covered her mouth with a shaking hand.

"I've never seen a gun or a scorpion in a reading, and I've never seen any of the wax pieces change colors before."

"An enemy nearby, trouble on the way, and danger from foes," Ginny said softly, pointing at the crab, the cross, and the dagger in turn. She pointed to the symbols in the bowl. "Danger ahead, catastrophe, and an enemy's plot."

"Why have they turned green?"

"I would be willing to bet that the color is supposed to warn us and tell us who they are in danger of."

"But green could be anyone," Narcissa said desperately. "How are we supposed to know who to tell them to stay away from?" Ginny turned and looked at her.

"I know who it is." Narcissa's eyes widened.

"You do? How?"

"Green is a common color- but not this shade of green. There's only one person in the entire Wizarding World that this could be referring to."

"Well? Who is it?" Ginny's face was devoid of expression and her voice was flat as she answered.

"Harry Potter."

* * *

Draco and Ron stood together with their hoods pulled over their heads as the Dark Lord addressed the Death Eaters. Ron was only half conscious of the words being spoken as his thoughts flickered between worry for his parents and worry for Pansy and his sister. Draco listened keenly, being sure not to miss a word that was said. If tonight was the night that Potter would be vanquished, then he most definitely wanted to be a part of it.

He shifted slightly where he stood, and noticed that Ron was still standing with his back stiff. He frowned. He knew that the newcomer was nervous, but was it really necessary to stand that straight? If he kept that up much longer, he was likely to pass out. The Dark Lord was in the middle of a rant about Potter when Draco's chest started to ache. He frowned and shifted his weight again, trying to ignore the sensation. Instead of going away, the ache got stronger. Draco sighed and tried to force himself to concentrate on what the Dark Lord was saying, but the ache got steadily worse until it was so painful that it made him stagger. The Dark Lord ceased in the middle of a sentence when Draco cried out. Lucius ran to his side and helped his son up from the floor.

"Draco, are you all right?" he hissed. Suddenly it dawned on Draco what the sensation was, and he stood upright.

With a shaking voice, he said, "Master, I know where Potter is."

* * *

Ginny and Narcissa had just put their cloaks on when the doorbell rang. Ginny exchanged a worried glance with the older woman. "I don't think the house elves should answer that – can we stop them?" Ginny turned and ran from the room without waiting for an answer. By the time she got to the front door, it was too late. The door was open, and there stood Harry, grinning malicously.

"Hello, Ginny." It was the last thing she heard before crumpling to the floor.

When she opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was Narcissa, bound and gagged on the chair opposite her. Harry was pacing around the room. When he saw that her eyes were open, he stopped and knelt in front of her.

"I see the wedding band on your hand," he hissed. "Tell me you weren't stupid enough to actually go through with it." Ginny tried to speak, but was mortified when she realized that even though her mouth was moving, there was no sound coming out. Harry grinned again, and Ginny's heart plummeted. Surely by this time, Draco would know that she was in trouble. She could only pray that he wasn't going to come barreling through the door alone, and that he realized who was waiting for him.

Harry cocked his head to the side as he watched her. Something must have shown on her face, because his grin faded and was replaced by pursed lips. "I'm counting on him coming back here, if that's what you're thinking about. I'm looking very forward to seeing him... and his father." Ginny blinked and did her best to make her mind go blank. Harry narrowed his eyes at her.

"So you've had binding spells done, have you?" he asked, standing up again. He began to pace again. "I'm not worried about him or his father. I have backup arriving shortly as well, and he doesn't stand a chance against them." Ginny heard a loud crash in another room and squirmed in her seat as sweat trickled down the side of her face. Harry turned and gave her another malevolent grin.

Ginny's eyes widened as Snape strode into the room, his black robes billowing around him. Harry nodded curtly at him, and his hook nose turned in Ginny's direction as he looked at her. Harry stopped in his tracks and gave Snape an odd look.

"Is something wrong, Severus?" he asked waspishly. Snape turned away from Ginny and met Harry's eyes coolly.

"Nothing is wrong, Potter, save for the fact that you've forgotten where you are."

"I haven't forgotten where I am," he said, frowning.

"You forget that no one can get in here without the elder Malfoy being notified of their presence."

"I'm counting on it."

"Did you also count on the fact that Lucius might be at a Death Eater meeting and that he would bring everyone back here with him?"

"Let them come," Harry challenged, looking Snape in the eye. Snape arched an eyebrow.

"Then did you also count on the reality that none of your allies would be able to make it inside in time to save you? Perhaps the Malfoys lowered some of the wards just enough to let you in, and no one else."

"They didn't do that," Harry said with certainty. "If they had, Ginny would know, and in turn, I would know."

"You're right on one count," Snape said, drawing his wand. "The Malfoys didn't lower the wards. I did." Harry's eyes went wide as he stared at Snape.

"You did? Why would you-"Before Harry could finish his question, another loud noise came from the hallway. Ginny would have jumped in surprise, had she been able to move. Snape turned slightly to look out of the corner of his eye. It was all the opportunity Harry needed. He shouted a quick "Impedimenta!" and ran from the room.

Ginny's pulse began to race as she wondered who Harry had tried to bring with him. She hoped against hope that it wasn't her parents, because if it came down to it, she knew she would choose Draco over them. Her heart ached at the thought, and she didn't want to be put in that position, but she knew she would give her life to save Draco.

Moments later, a robed figure barreled into the room. The hooded head looked from left to right, and when the person saw Ginny, they moved to help untie her. A wand appeared from the robe, and she heard a female voice removing her bonds. A second later, the figure reached up to remove their hood, and Ginny found herself staring at a very winded Pansy.

"Narcissa," she mouthed, pointing at the limp figure on the floor. Pansy nodded and went to work on Narcissa's bonds as well. When she had finished, she turned back to Ginny and motioned for her to help her move Narcissa onto the couch.

"Did he perform Silencio?" Pansy asked. Ginny shrugged helplessly, and stood still as Pansy performed every counter spell she knew. Finally she found one that worked, and Ginny spoke quickly.

"Where is Draco? He and Lucius are walking into a trap!"

"A trap? I hardly think that's possible – all of the Death Eaters are here. It'd be pretty impossible for him to ambush them."

"You don't understand! Harry's got backup coming – that means that the Order are either here or on their way, and they won't stop until all of the Death Eaters are dead or captured!" she pushed past Pansy and bolted through the door. She forgot all about her cloak as she barreled out through the front door and onto the grounds, where she skidded to a stop. Everywhere there were wands raised and lights flashing from all of the spells being performed.

She scanned the crowd, looking for either bright red hair or white-blonde hair. When she saw no red, she concentrated solely on the blonde. When she saw no blonde, she began to panic. Suddenly her chest erupted in pain. The pain was so great that she fell to her knees. It lasted several moments before it was gone, leaving her breathless in its wake. She forced herself to get up; if Draco was being attacked, then she needed to get to him – to help him. She darted through the dueling clusters of people on the front lawn of Malfoy Manor, keeping a sharp eye out for her husband. She ignored the small bursts of pain that came, and ignored the burning sensation in her lungs as she fought to breathe.

She rounded a corner and her eyes widened. There, on the other side of the field, was Draco, lying on the ground at Harry's feet. She made a mad dash for her husband and dove in front of him just as Harry raised his wand. She didn't have enough breath to speak, so she stared defiantly up at Harry as she bent over the stilled form of her husband. Harry frowned.

"Ginny, move."

"No." And that was how it was. One word whispered on a cold, wintry night, and she knew that she was going to die. Harry stomped his foot like a petulant child, and she closed her eyes as she readied herself for the killing curse. "If you want to kill him, you'll have to kill me to do it."

"Fine," Harry said, his eyes hardening. He raised his wand. _"Avada Ke-"_ before he could finish the spell, he was struck from behind with one. His eyes widened as he crumpled to the ground. Ginny looked up at Harry's attacker – her and Draco's savior – and found herself looking into Ron's eyes.

"Thank you," she cried, tears of relief spilling down her cheeks. Ron quickly muttered some binding spells, then bent to make sure his sister and friend were okay. "What's going on out front?"

"The Dark Lord has been defeated," he said, his voice even. "But the Death Eaters are still fighting." For the first time, Ginny realized that Ron was wearing a Death Eater robe. She stared at him, watching as he reached his left arm forward to feel for a pulse on her husband. His sleeve rode up, and she saw the Dark Mark burnt into his forearm. She looked up with wide eyes, and he avoided her gaze.

"He's going to need medical attention."

"Ron," she breathed. "What are we going to do now?"

"We'll be fine, Gin. Voldemort is dead – the Death Eaters will all be captured and taken to Azkaban." Her heart sank.

"But that means that you, Pansy, Lucius, and Draco will-"Ron shook his head and gave her a wry smile.

"We won't be going anywhere. We all got special marks that are designed to disappear either upon our death – or his." As he spoke, his mark began to fade. She turned back to her husband and watched as his mark began to fade as well. Her heart jumped into her throat.

"Is his mark fading because Voldemort is dead, or because he's dying?" her voice was strained as she struggled to remain composed. Ron gave her a wry smile.

"He'll live if we get him medical attention now." She needed no further prompting as she stood and raised her wand. She tried to _locomotor_ him, but she was too weak to do it. Her legs were wobbling beneath her as she watched Ron perform the magic that she could not. She walked alongside the form of her husband and her brother, and went back into the Manor with him.

"What will happen to Harry?"

"Either one of the Death Eaters will find him, or one of the Order members will."

"Ron, did you see Mum or Dad out there?"

"No. I made sure that they were unreachable."

"What do you mean?"

"Draco nearly passed out during the meeting tonight when he realized that Harry was with you. Right after everyone decided to come back here and fight Harry, I decided to go and secure the Burrow."

"What did you do?"

"I put up wards so that no one could get through, and made sure that all of the wards Dumbledore and Harry had set up were reversed, so they kept Order members out and only let blood-related people in." Ginny nodded and reached up to hold Draco's limp hand. They went inside, and Narcissa and Pansy immediately rushed to their side. Narcissa paled.

"Oh, Sweet Merciful Morgaine! Is he alive?"

"He is, thanks to Ginny."

"Thanks to his idea of having the binding spells done," she interjected. "I would never have known he was in trouble if we hadn't had those done." Narcissa, in a rare show of emotion, broke down crying as she embraced her daughter-in-law.

"We need to get him to a MediWitch," Pansy said, wiping the sweat from her brow. Ginny nodded, and Narcissa was about to agree, when Snape walked into the room.

"I can help him," he said quietly. Ginny didn't think to question him, and immediately told him what she had felt, and that she was bound to Draco. He nodded wordlessly and told Ron to take Draco into his and Ginny's bedroom.


	47. Epilogue

_I hope that not everyone will think this ending is trite and/or overused. I thought in light of the chaotic events of chapter 46, this ending was appropo. Enjoy, and thanks for reading!_

**Epilogue**

Ginny shivered and opened her eyes a crack – just enough to see where the coverlet was, and pull it up to her chin. She closed her eyes and snuggled lower beneath the covers. Just as she was drifting off again, she felt cold feet touch her legs. Her eyes flew open and she screeched. Sniggering filled the room, and she turned and lightly slapped her husband.

"That is so mean!" She shrieked, trying not to smile. He grinned and pulled her closer, dropping light kisses on any bare skin he could find – which was just about everywhere, since they were both unclothed beneath the covers. She shivered and forced herself to look angry.

"You know I only did it because I love you," he said, still grinning mischievously as he kissed her shoulder. She sighed and relaxed against him.

"Say it again, and I might forgive you."

"I love you."

"One more time, for good measure." He chuckled and drew her closer, dropping a light kiss on her mouth.

"Ginny Weasley Malfoy, I love you." She smiled softly at him and rested her head against his chest.

"I love you, too." His arms tightened reflexively around her, and she sighed contentedly as he dropped a loving kiss on the top of her head.

"So what should we do today?"

"Stay in bed," she said decisively. He laughed.

"Have you forgotten what day it is?" She frowned and pulled away slightly to look at him.

"It's a Wednesday," she said. He rolled his eyes playfully.

"Is that _all_ you think it is?"

"Am I forgetting something?"

"And people say that only men forget important dates."

"Draco!" she admonished, sitting up. "Just tell me what day it is, already!"

"It's our one year anniversary." She gasped and embarrassment washed over her.

"Oh – Oh, Gods, Draco! I'm so sorry I forgot!"

"It's all right, I'm not hurt or anything," he said, pouting. She giggled. "I was thinking that we should go out to dinner and then take a ride on the flying carpet in honor of the night I proposed to you."

"Flying carpet?" she laughed. "You _must_ be joking! I still get chills when I remember my other ride on a flying carpet!" He chuckled.

"Fine, just dinner, then."

"Why can't we just stay here in bed all day?" she asked, laying back down and cuddling up next to him.

"You know," he murmured. "I'm starting to think that all you want from me is sex. It makes a man feel used." She ran her fingertips lightly across his chest and smiled.

"You love every second of it, and you know it."

"Guilty as charged."

"Bed all day, then?"

"Fine, but that means that I have to give you your gift now." She stared as he rose from the bed and rifled through the top drawer of his dresser. He withdrew something that she couldn't see and hid it behind his back as he climbed back into bed. "Now close your eyes and hold out your right hand."

"Draco, you didn't have to get me anything."

"The hell I didn't," he said, his eyes glittering. "You're my wife, and I love you, and it's our first anniversary. Let's not forget that you also saved my life in our first week of marriage." She blushed and looked down. "Now hold out your hand, already!" She closed her eyes and held out her right hand.

She felt him fasten something heavy around her wrist, and smiled to herself. He'd gotten her a bracelet, obviously. She was about to open her eyes when she felt him slide something onto her right middle finger. "You can open your eyes now."

She opened her eyes and gasped. On her wrist was a sparkling diamond bracelet, and on her finger was a gold band encrusted with rubies. She lifted shocked eyes to his, and he shrugged.

"The rubies reminded me of your hair." Tears of emotion welled up in her eyes and her throat constricted. She launched herself forward and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing as tight as she possibly could.

"Oh," she breathed, fighting back the tears. She hugged him for several moments, before letting go and looking at him again. "Then I guess now is the right time to give you your gift."

"I thought you forgot," he said, confused.

"I did," she agreed, reaching into the drawer of her nightstand, and pulling a rolled up piece of parchment out. "But I was going to surprise you with this today anyway – it just seems more fitting now, in light of what today is." She shoved the parchment towards him, and he took it even though he looked confused.

"You had a surprise for me for no special reason?"

"Sort of – you'll see when you open it." She watched with bated breath as he unrolled the parchment and read it. Suddenly it dropped from his fingers and he stared at her. She felt the heat rising in her cheeks as he continued to stare and said nothing. "Well?" she asked finally. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

"You're pregnant," he said, his voice belying his shock. She nodded.

"With a boy," she added quickly. He stared at her for another long moment before pulling her to him for a passionate kiss. His hands roamed over her back as he kissed her wildly. When he pulled away, she was dizzy.

"I'm going to have a son," he whispered, awed. "You're giving me a son!" He hugged her close and squeezed his eyes closed to prevent the tears from falling.

"Are you happy?" she asked tentatively.

"Happy? I'm overjoyed! We have to tell my parents!" He jumped up and started to head towards the door, but stopped when she called his name.

"You're starkers!" she laughed. He turned beet red, and then pulled some clothes from the dresser and threw them on haphazardly.

"Come on! We have to go tell them!" She laughed as she got out of bed and pulled her clothes on. Just as they were about to leave their room, he pulled her close and kissed her languidly. "I love you."

"And I you," she replied breathlessly.

"And now we're going to have a family of our own," he said, amazement threaded through his voice. She nodded and tilted her face up for another kiss before following him down the hallway. They had been through a war together. They had watched her brother marry his best friend, and they had watched Harry's trial together. Now they were about to become parents. The best was yet to come.


End file.
